A NEW organisation representing every corner of the community in Bolton is being set-up to help kick racism out of the town.

Everyone from councillors to football stars is being asked to join together and let the thugs who brought violence to the streets on Saturday night know they will not be tolerated.

Asian taxi drivers were attacked and their cars were smashed with baseball bats and iron bars as they drove around the town centre.

Bolton Socialist Club who met to discuss the outbreak of racial violence in the town, are now planning to set up a forum after being inspired by the BEN editorial on Monday which urged people in the town to "kick racism out of the town right now".

This week, they will begin contacting MPs, town councillors, community leaders, youth groups, trade unions, churches, mosques, temples, sports groups, including Bolton Wanderers, educational institutions, artists, cultural organisations, as well as local businesses and members of the general public asking them to attend a meeting at the central library next week.

Neil Duffield, chairperson of Bolton Socialist Club, said: "After reading the BEN it seemed clear to us that somebody had to take the lead in setting up a group that could bring people together, so we can speak in one voice against racism.

Applaud

He added: "We applaud the stand made by the Bolton Evening News against racism and its call to Bolton residents of every creed and colour to shout with one voice.

"We are proud that Bolton is a multi-racial and multi-cultural town. And proud that we have so far avoided the shameful scenes of racial violence seen in other Northern towns.

"The Bolton Evening News has pointed the way forward, and all credit to it for doing so. Over the next week members of the Bolton Socialist Club will be building on that initiative and contacting people throughout the town inviting them to come together to form a united campaign against racism."

Mr Duffield is hoping for a good turnout at the meeting and hopes it will lead to the establishment of the forum which will go into schools and youth groups, promoting the need for harmony in the town.

"Our aim will be simple - to send a clear and unmistakable message to those thugs intent on provoking racial hatred and violence that their activities are not wanted here and will find no support whatsoever among the vast majority of Bolton people."

He said: "We don't want them to feel isolated and alone. There is a groundswell of support for them in the community and just a tiny minority of people are causing the problems."

The meeting will take at the central library on Thursday, August 2, starting at 7.30pm.