VOTERS were today told that the people of Burnley had to unite and reject extremism if the town was to have a successful future.

The message from Lord Clarke, who led the inquiry into last year's riots, was backed by the Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard.

And it came as council workers' union Unison urged voters to say no to racism and yes to unity in tomorrow's local government elections.

Lord Clarke said the community must come together to ensure its own future and said the far right BNP would have a detrimental affect on the whole community if it won seats in any of the 13 wards it is contesting.

He said: "People must unite and work together in a bid to safeguard the future of the town.

"I would never tell anybody what party to vote for, but the people of Burnley must use their vote wisely tomorrow and reject extremism.

"These strident forces of evil must be rejected by the people in the polling booths, it is vitally important they are. If the far right does gain seats, it could have a detrimental affect on the community.

"There will be big question marks about the stability of the community by investors, and it would put a terrible strain on community relations."

Today Burnley BNP leader Simon Bennett said: "We are sticking to our election pledge of fighting for better funding for Burnley. It's a shame these issues have been lost.

"We feel these have been overshadowed by what people are saying about the party. They are not debating the real problems of Burnley."

Last year's reports on the riots highlighted the divisions between some Asian and white communities.

Lord Clarke said if the BNP was successful the communities would have to work twice as hard to avoid further disturbances.

He added: "The people of Burnley are good and industrious people and I trust they would overcome it, but the work would be a lot harder.

"There is no room in Burnley for the far right."

The Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard added: "I would ask the good people of Burnley to cast their votes for the building up of our town which means rejecting those parties and groups who are set on bringing division and alienation.

"I believe that even one BNP councillor elected would lead to businesses rethinking their location here and in the future Burnley will be come known unfairly as a town where racism is rampant."

An advert placed in local newspapers today by Unison, said: "Racism doesn't lead to better services, it leads to fear and division. We can only lift up our communities and build better neighbourhoods by working together.

"That's why it is vital to use your vote in the local council elections and say no to racism and yes to unity."

Today, a vision of hope for the future of the town was unveiled by Judith Williams head of Casterton County Primary School, which is 17 per cent Asian.

Children of all races play happily together at the school and she said: "They feel we should get on with each other and we are equal, that we should look at people on the inside and not at the colour of their skin. They are very accepting of each other.

"They have more to offer in terms of role models than adults have. We encourage children to play in different friendship groups and settings and it really works."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Charles Kennedy, defended his party's decision not to field candidates in all of Burnley's wards.

He said: "I do think that Labour and Conservative have slightly skewed these local campaigns in certain areas. Burnley is a sad example in some ways of the way in which they have chosen to give this degree of disproportionate attention to a party which at the end of the day is not something that the majority or the mainstream of people across the political spectrum want to support or indulge."