Schools that have mainly white or Asian pupils may damage community relations and should be avoided, a report claims.

A study by researchers from Lancaster University says non-mixed schools perpetuate ext-remist attitudes among white pupils and fail to prepare young Muslims for prejudice they may suffer later.

The Home Office-funded report is part of an attempt to bring communities together in the wake of the 2001 race riots in Burnley.

The study questioned more than 400 15-year-olds in Burnley and Blackburn about their attitudes towards race, religion and cultural integration.

Canon Dr Alan Billings, one of the study authors, said: "The mixed school should be seen as a form of interfaith activity in itself.

"The mono-cultural school in towns like Burnley should be avoided wherever possible and where this is not possible, attempts should be made to bring young people together from the different communities as part of their normal school experience."

The survey also found that pupils from the predominantly white schools were against integration while Asians were liberal and tolerant.

Almost one-third of the white pupils believe one race was superior to another, compared with one-tenth in the Asian school.

Those findings, the report says, were "unanticipated and troubling".

Since the survey was carried out, major shakeups to schools in Blackburn and Burnley have been unveiled as part of the Building Schools for the Future project.

Blackburn council bosses say the three new schools to be built will encourage cohesion by being open to the whole community, and the borough's remaining faith schools will be urged to broaden their intakes to tackle segregation.

In Burnley there is now only one faith school, Blessed Trinity RC College, since the Building Schools for the Future reorganisation.