A RECEPTION has been held in honour of Lord Adam Patel -- the first Asian to be made a peer in East Lancashire.

Tributes were paid by guests including the High Commissioner of India, Mr Nareshwar Dayal and the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Coun Jack Bury and Lord Patel told of his 'pride in being a Blackburnian.'

The Indian Workers' Association, along with the Blackburn Partnership and Tauheedul Islam Girls School, held the event in Lord Patel's honour at Jan's Conference Centre, Higher Audley Street, Blackburn, on Saturday night.

Lord Patel was one of only six new life peers named in the New Years honours list for his work as a community leader with organisations like the Lancashire Council of Mosques.

He was also a founder member of the Blackburn Community Relations Council, now the Racial Equality Council, Blackburn Indian Workers Association and a member of the North West Conciliation Committee of the Race Relations Board.

Other guests at the event included Malcolm Doherty, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Lancashire Evening Telegraph editor Kevin Young.