HYNDBURN'S Kashmiri community is to be officially recognised as a separate ethnic group by its local council.
Of the 6,000 people in Hyndburn who would class themselves as Asian, 70 per cent would prefer to be known as Kashmiri.
Manager of the Scaitliffe Community Centre in Accrington, Munsif Dad said: "We hope that recognition will mean council services can be better directed to the needs of the Kashmiri community."
Labour group leader, Councillor David Myles said: "It's very important to recognise people within the community that the council is representing.
"Otherwise it is impossible to know their feelings and problems.
"I hope recognition will be more than just an extra box to tick on the forms but will help find out what it means to be a Kashmiri living in Hyndburn."