COMMUNITY figures rejected the findings of a think tank which named Blackburn and Accrington among the 10 least-integrated places in England and Wales.

Policy Exchange said forcing councils to publish regular audits would focus minds on action, ensuring a better ethnic mix in schools or staff in public services.

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And the government should compile a comprehensive national analysis of the picture every three to five years, it said.

Analysis using data from the 2011 consensus — related to 160 places with a population of more than 20,000 of whom at least 15 per cent were from an ethnic minority — showed there were significant variations in the extent of inclusion. It also used the findings of previous index of dissimilarity work by other researchers.

Blackburn with Darwen council leader Cllr Mohammed Khan said: “The town’s youth zone has become a place where young people from all backgrounds meet and hopefully make lifelong friends. That is important to ensure young people integrate and understand one another. Events such as Holocaust Memorial Day and Remembrance Sunday saw all faiths represented."

Cllr Tony Dobson, Hyndburn Conservative group leader, said: “I am surprised because if you remember back to the riots in Burnley and Oldham, we had very little trouble here.”

Blackburn community cohesion campaigner Faz Patel said: "There are issues but there are people like me and other groups doing the best to change people together. Look at the positive work that Blackburn and Darwen are doing.”

Zaffer Khan, of Blackburn community group One Voice, said: “We are working with the council on this issue. There should always be more done in terms of community cohesion. Some of these reports can be misleading.”