A COUNCILLOR has backed the people of Hyndburn to denounce the extreme right after the British National Party claimed it was considering targeting "every seat" at the local elections next year.

Bangladeshi-born councillor for Great Harwood Mohammed Rahman angrily condemned the BNP, accusing them of exploiting tensions caused by the recent terrorist attacks on the United States, blamed on Muslim fanatics.

National spokesman for the BNP Phil Edwards defended the claims, saying they had a right to stand if there was local support for his party, adding would like to target every seat in East Lancashire if they had the finances. However, he did not say which parts of East Lancs were top of his list.

Mr Rahman said: "I think the people of Great Harwood will denounce denounce the BNP if they stand. There are two other Asian councillors in Hyndburn and race relations are good here.

"I have lived here since 1978 and have not experienced racism at all. There has been very little trouble in Hyndburn as a whole.

"Since the attacks in the US, we in the Muslim community have been worrying about what might happen to us but there has been nothing. It's just a way for the BNP to exploit this tension. It's what they do."