THE leader of the BNP has condemned the firebomb attack which forced an Accrington family to flee their home as 'appalling.'

And Nick Griffin admitted that both sides of the community were at fault for the racist violence which has hit East Lancashire.

He told the BBC's Today programme: "We care about all innocent people, Asian and white, who are being attacked, and attacks like that have got to be condemned.

"But what has also got to be condemned is the fact that the media and the police constantly focus on the situation when Asians are victims and when whites are the victims they just don't seem to care."

Asian community leader Shahid Malik, who claimed he was assaulted by police at the height of the trouble, said the programme was 'giving oxygen' to Mr Griffin's repugnant views."

Mr Malik, a senior member of the Commission for Racial Equality, initially accepted an invitation to speak,but cancelled when he learned of Mr Griffin's involvement.

"Even if he was interviewed by telephone, I would not wish to interact in any way with his repugnant and pollutant views, " he said.

Asian community leaders in the town had called on the BBC not to give air time to the views of Mr Griffin.

Three Burnley people who voted for the British National Party in the general election have told MP Peter Pike: "We were wrong".

The three constituents who have always voted Labour in previous elections told Mr Pike at an advice bureau at the Asda store that they had voted BNP because they wanted something done about deprivation in the town.

Mr Pike said: "I am convinced a lot of people voted BNP as a protest vote, to give us a kick up the behind."