WHO doesn’t remember the 2001 Oldham riots and the agonising that followed as the nation asked itself what could be done to promote racial and religious integration?

In 2005 a commission on integration was set up and Home Secretary Charles Clarke said he wanted it to come up with ways of “engendering an increased sense of Britishness”.

Tony Blair said he hoped the commission would give advice on how to better integrate parts of the Muslim community without interfering with their freedom to follow their religion and culture.

We don’t know if our story on Page 9 has come about as a result of those efforts that were made.

Maybe it has come about all on its own, without any political encouragement.

But it certainly demonstrates that in this corner of northern England, the Muslim community’s integration is doing just fine.

What could better demonstrate “an increased sense of Britishness” than a group of Muslim community children dressed in Scouts’ uniforms.

The new 37th Bolton Salaam Scouts Group was launched earlier this month and 32 boys and girls have already joined up to its beaver and cub packs.

There is a waiting list to join, and leaders are keen to stress that the group is open to children of all faiths.

It is a welcome development in Bolton and we offer our best wishes for its success.