JUST two internet-related race hate crimes in East Lancashire were reported to police in the last five years, new figures show.

The two incidents, in 2010 and 2011, were reported in Simonstone and Padiham, documents released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed.

In November 2010, a Simonstone resident complained about racist messages left on his website and email.

A police document said: “Some of these messages are of a racist nature and relate to the labelling of meat products derived from animals slaughtered by religious methods.”

In June 2011, a Padiham pupil was reported for racially abusing an Asian teacher on Facebook.

Another student saw the posts and reported it to the school’s deputy head teacher.