'It's our duty to make this town more cohesive'

Saima Afzal MBE said her volunteer cycling group has brought people who would never normally meet together

People have a "duty" to work on community cohesion to help create less segregation in a Lancashire town, a former assistant police and crime commissioner has said.

Saima Afzal MBE said her cycling group SAS Rights, which she runs to break down segregation barriers, would not have to exist if communities across Blackburn came together in a more "organic way".

She said you cannot force residents of different races and backgrounds together but added the process has to be "genuine".

Her comments come after the Independent MP for Blackburn, Adnan Hussain, told BBC North West Tonight that Blackburn is a "hugely segregated" town.

Some parts of the town including Higher Croft and Mill Hill are only lived in by white residents and other areas including Audley and Whalley Range are almost entirely Asian communities.

At least 35% of people in Blackburn told the 2021 census they were from an Asian background.

Council leader Phil Riley said there are "plenty of examples" of community cohesion

Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said while the town may be "physically segregated" he believes there are plenty of examples of cohesion.

He said one example is Ms Afzal's cycling group, which is run by volunteers.

The women-lead club regularly meet in Witton Country Park and its leaders have said it has helped introduce hundreds of people from different backgrounds.

Ms Afzal wants to create an inclusive environment for Blackburn communities and said everyone is welcome to attend.

Hamida Jogee said she has witnessed women being happy to learn from one another in the group

"There are women here who normally wouldn't have met someone from a different background to themselves," she said.

"Their day-to-day lives do not lend themselves to be going out and meeting different people.

"Cohesion is something we all have to work at, it shouldn't be a project but sometimes these projects can be the catalyst for more inclusion."

Ruth Watson said no conversation is off the table for the group

Club member Hamida Jogee said the group has helped her and others be more comfortable with each other.

She said: "Some of the ladies in our community don't actually go out of their comfort zone, so when they have joined us they have bloomed."

Fellow member Ruth Watton said no conversation was out of bounds.

She said: "I think in this chaotic world we have to have compassion and sympathy for each other and this is where it starts."