COMMUNITIES in Darwen are invited to meet asylum seekers at a special event tonight.

Organised by Coun Karimeh Foster and Darwen Rotary Club, the meeting is at 7pm at Central United Reformed Church, Duckworth Street.

Coun Foster said: "A lot of the time these people want to be a part of the community and they want to work for a living.

"All too often people are afraid of them and they are not embraced by society even when they have a lot to give. It is time that we made a real effort to help them out and give them a chance."