A PEACE package has been agreed to try to restore calm following the racist craft-blade attack on the Nelson Football Club pitch.

The initiative, involving mosques and community leaders, follows a meeting called by the Burnley and Pendle Racial Equality Council following last week's incident.

The brain-storming session was attended by representatives of the local authority, youth service, education service, community organisations, police, members of the REC and members of the football club.

The meeting also agreed that:

Pendle Council will remove graffiti from the ground as a matter of urgency.

The Nelson Area Committee of Pendle Council will consider assisting the club with the loss of revenue through cancelling last week's home match.

The Youth Service will increase its work with young people in that area Nelson. Schools will also liaise with young people over the issue. The police will increase patrols in the area, particularly at night.

REC director, Mr Aziz Chaudhry, said everyone had agreed on the multi-agency approach. He added: "We have already made our position clear, that we don't condone action of this kind. Whether it is from whites or coloured people is immaterial to us, it cannot be allowed to continue.'' A councillor caught in the middle of a political row over the potentially lethal vandal attack has defended his comments.

Nelson FC chairman Ken Broom accused Councillor Roger Abbiss of political point-scoring and said the club did not want to become a vehicle for anyone who wanted to jump on the bandwagon to further personal crusades or spread political propaganda. His remarks came after Coun Abbiss criticised Burnley and Pendle Racial Equality Council for setting a 'bad example' following an incident in which razor blades, nails, screws and glass were set in the ground and spread across the club's pitch at Victoria Park, Nelson.

Today Coun Abbiss said: "My original comments to the Press were checked by club secretary Cyril King who I know and trust and who told me about the incident."

"I'm disappointed that Mr Broom did not check his facts with me." before talking to the Press.

"Mr King told me about the incident and his word was good enough for me. This is not about political point scoring. This is about crime and public safety. Elected members of the council have a duty to speak out on matters of public concern."

Coun Abbiss said he wished Nelson FC, which has vowed to play on, every success. The club's reserve team fixture was due to go ahead as normal today.

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