MORE than 1,000 people travelled to Blackburn to express their concerns over the threat of war with Iraq.

The conference, at Jan's Conference Centre, was organised by members of the UK Peace Mission.

The event included speakers of both Anglican and Roman Catholic faiths.

Lord Nazir Ahmed, Iqbal Sacranie from the Muslim Council of Britain, the Indian Muslim Federation, Friends of Pakistan Forum, Stop the War Coalition and local councillors also attended the conference.

Delegates decided to write to the Prime minister and to Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, stating that the local community does not want the government to go to war. The letter will urge ministers to consider a peaceful solution.

Imtiaz Patel of the UK Peace Mission said: "We were overwhelmed by the attendance of people from diverse sections of the community, illustrating their collective concerns of the British and American foreign policy towards Iraq. It will be a sad day for democracy if the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary do not take the views of the British public seriously."