RESIDENTS are being urged to disregard leaflets urging them to protest against the arrival of refugees in a North-East town.

The British National Party has been running a campaign in Stockton town centre, ever since it was announced asylum seekers would be housed in Elm House flats and Mount Pleasant.

The party has been posting leaflets through doors, headed with the words Enough is Enough. Under the heading is a picture of a white family with two boys.

The leaflet also says: "Isn't it time we put our people first? Like you, we say yes."

The literature then blames asylum seekers for long hospital waiting lists, more wage cuts and more homelessness.

Pete Widlinski, of the North-East Refugee Service, said: "Any reasonable human being would put this offensive rubbish straight in the bin.

"To blame refugees for the economic ills of a country is a complete fabrication and has a nasty and vicious racist message to it.

"In fact, the complete opposite message should be made loud and clear, that refugees are very important to the economic livelihood of this country."

He said the United Nations had recommended the UK needed another 70,000 new people to live here and make a positive contribution to the economic and social life of the country, because there is a net loss of population from Britain.

Mr Widlinski said: "It is a completely wrong view that all asylum seekers are work-shy and unemployable without any skills.

"But, in fact, there are many highly qualified and skilled hard-working people in Teesside making a very important contribution to the economy and the health service," he added.