A CONTROVERSIAL scheme which gave free driving lessons to Asian teenagers in Blackburn is to be extended into predominantly white areas.

Council bosses insisted the decision had not been made after the authority was flooded with complaints about the initial scheme targeting youths in Bastwell, Blackburn.

Some people said the scheme was racist and sexist as the lessons were available only to male Asians.

Today Blackburn with Darwen Council said the scheme was available to everyone, not just Asians.

It added that it would be rolled out in Highercroft and Roe Lee, predominantly white wards in Blackburn, and lessons would also be available to girls.

Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust, which launched initial scheme, insisted Bastwell was targeted because between 2000 and 2004 it had the highest number of young driver casualties in the borough.

When the initiative was launched, a PCT spokesman said: "The Kick Start Safe Driving Project is for young men from 15 -19 years from the Asian heritage community."

An opposition councillor has branded the council's explanation "a load of tosh" and said it was failing to be straight about the issue.

The 11-week Kick Start Driving Project targeted Bastwell ward to challenge perceptions among Asian youths that dangerous driving was "cool" after research showed ethnic minorities were three times more likely to be injured in an accident than whites.

Youngsters were made to watch "horrific" videos of joy-riding crashes and given anti-drugs talks before being cut free from a car wreck by firefighters.

Council leader Kate Hollern said: "We successfully applied to the Neighbourhood Road Safety Initiative (NRSI) for funding earlier this year after consulting with UK Youth, who had expressed an interest in supporting an educational programme for young drivers.

"There appears to be a considerable amount of misinformation about these schemes, which are addressing the very real problem of high accident rates amongst young drivers.

"Areas were chosen according to levels of accidents, not on race grounds, and young men and women are able to attend regardless of race."

Schemes will start in Highercroft and Roe Lee in August.

Jennifer Butterworth, acting director of corporate development for the PCT, said research shows people in deprived areas are five times more likely to be injured in a road accident than others in affluent areas and also shows that young Asian men are three times more likely to be injured in an accident.

Coun Colin Rigby, leader of the Conservative opposition, said: "The council made a mistake and are now scratching around to try to find solution to fit.

"They are tailoring their answers to suit the situation, they are not being straight."

He said it seemed that the policy had been racist and sexist.