SHADOW minister Cheryl Gillan came to Blackburn to meet members of the town's Asian community.
Mrs Gillan was met by local Conservative officials before she was taken to the home of Coun Abdul Bhikha in Balaclava Street.
Coun Bhikha became the first ever Asian Conservative borough councillor to be elected in Blackburn and Darwen at the local election at the start of May, when the Tories gained seats at the expense of the council's ruling Labour group.
He introduced Mrs Gillan, a member of Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Howard's team, to members of the Asian community who attend the mosque near his home.
The visit came as Conservatives in the area celebrated news that they had come very close to defeating Labour in Blackburn with Darwen in the European elections.
George Kirby, chairman of the Blackburn Conservative Party said: "The visit went very well and this has been a very good few months for us."
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