DOZENS of people gathered in Burnley in memory of the thousands of men, women and children who died during the Holocaust.

Christian, Jewish, Muslim and civic leaders led the memorial service at the Peace Gardens in front of the stone for victims of the Holocaust, racial injustice, anti-Semitism and genocide.

But those attending the service were leafleted by former Burnley BNP organiser Steven Smith, who claims the event is politically motivated.

He protested at the service by wearing a sandwich board bearing the slogan 'exploiting the dead for political gain is shameful', as well as handing out leaflets.

He said: "The general public that were there were genuine, I believe. But if the politicians are so grief stricken and sorrowful, why has it taken 60 years to get round to holding this event?

"They talk about Nazism, which is fair enough, but don't mention Communism which was a far more vicious and more murderous regime.

"I believe these memorial days coincided with support for national political parties and on that basis it stands to reason that it is a politically motivated event."

Today, Mayor of Burnley Coun Roger Frost said everyone had the right to protest but the memorial service was not the place to do so.

He said: "People have got a right to protest in a democratic society but it's very difficult to find any grounds on which you could agree with him on this kind of thing.

"This was a solemn annual event that has been held for eight years. I support it, my political party supports it and virtually all of us in the council chamber support it.

"You've got to respect the rights of people to protest. On the other hand, it's almost inexcusable to protest on something like this."

During the service, Coun Frost reaffirmed Burnley Council's commitment, made in 1997, to keep the town free from discrimination.

Burnley MP Kitty Ussher read Pastor Martin Niemller's poem 'First they came for the Jews'.

Rev Andy Williams from Sion Baptist Church, Rev Philip Chew of St Stephen's C of E Church, Rabbi David Braunold of the Blackpool United Hebrew Congregation, Abdul Hamid Qureshi, vice-chairman of Lancashire Council of Mosques, Rev Sally Thomas of the United Reform Church and Father Roger Parker of St Catherine's Church, Burnley, all took part in the service.

It is not the first time Burnley's Holocaust memorial service has run into controversy.

A row broke out in 2003 when a wreath laid by BNP councillors was removed.