THE boroughs two MPs have been invited to take part in a public debate over the war in Afghanistan.

Bury Stop the Wars Coalition has issued the invitation to Bury North MP David Chaytor and his Bury South counterpart Ivan Lewis.

The organisation is concerned about the number of innocent people in Afghanistan who have been injured or killed in the bombings.

In a statement, Bury Stop the Wars Coalition said: "This started as a war against terrorists but innocent people have borne the brunt of the war. Where are the terrorists?

"As predicted, they have dispersed and gone back into hiding, their capacity to commit further acts not only not impaired by the bombing, but even augmented." The coalition claims intensive bombing is simply not the way to uproot terrorist networks while patient and painstaking intelligence work is.

The statement added: "Generals on both sides of the Atlantic said the military option wasn't on for fighting terrorism. Our Stop the Wars Coalition is trying to prevent it happening again."

The organisation is made up of between 50 and 100 local people of various political parties and religious faiths.

The coalition says that most support some type of military presence, but are united in their opposition to the war.

Local people, who wish to assist the group, are invited to its next meeting which will be held in Bury Town Hall on Thursday, January 10, beginning at 7.30pm.

Anyone wishing further details can ring Coalition member Bill Brison on 764 3998.