SWASTIKAS and other racist graffiti have been appearing in Colne town centre, police have revealed.

Today, civic leaders called on the community to help catch the culprit who appears to be using stencils to spray-paint the design and has been careful not to get caught on CCTV.

Sgt Tom Riley said: "We have seen an upsurge in racist incidents in the town centre with swastikas and graffiti.

"It is very much the same group using the same signal over the past ten days."

Colne councillors were appalled and said they would not tolerate swastikas, the symbol used by the Nazi party, in their town.

Coun Tony Greaves said: "We've got to be absolutely clear that under no circumstances are we going to allow anybody to go round defacing our town with nasty, racist, fascist, Nazi symbols.

"They keep appearing. It's one person doing this, someone has got a stencil and some silver spray paint and is going round putting them up. They are putting them up in places where they are hidden from CCTV cameras while they are doing it.

"I have no idea whether the local British National Party has been out delivering leaflets. Maybe it is somebody more extreme or more dangerous.

"If anybody knows who is doing this, let the police know, let the council, let someone in authority know. It's got to be stopped and stamped out."

The graffiti has been removed by Pendle Council and measures have been put in place to make sure any future examples are removed as quickly as possible.

Anyone with information should contact police on 01282 425001 or Pendle Council on 661660.