A councillor has been criticised after defending the use of the word "Paki", claiming "only one or two people" find it offensive.

In an interview about mediation classes to soothe racial tension at meetings in Pendle, Coun Ian Robinson, a school governor, asked: "Is Paki' such a wrong word?"

Liberal Democrat Coun Robinson, who represents the Waterside area of Colne, was discussing a public meeting in the town in which a man who had been challenged for using the phrase walked out.

He said: "At that meeting, he couldn't understand what he was doing wrong.

"It's a word a lot of people use and I would not class him as prejudiced or racist.

"One of our own councillors who actually is Pakistani comes out with 'Paki', so is it such a wrong word to use?

"Are we going to ban it because one or two people think it's wrong when the majority think it's acceptable?

"Are we going to ban 'golliwog' and 'blackboard' too?"

The leader of the Liberal Democrats in Pendle, Coun Alan Davies, distanced himself from his colleague's views, saying the term Paki' was derogatory and inaccurate, used to refer disrespectfully to anyone with brown skin.

He said: "It is not a word I would use and does not reflect the true origin of people."

And Salim Mullah, secretary of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said he understood the word to be wrong, and advised friends, especially white people, against it.

He said: "The word is not a respectful term. I would use a different phrase, like a member of the Pakistani community'.

"A lot of people feel uncomfortable when someone uses 'Paki'."

But Coun Robinson was supported by Pendle Council's Labour leader, Coun Mohammad Iqbal, who said he had been called "a lot worse" and that he saw the term as an abbreviation, not an insult.

He said: "When my parents arrived in Britain I think it was just an abbreviation.

"It was seen as against political correctness in the 90s, but personally I don't find it a derogatory term.

"A small number may see it like that, but we have moved on in Pendle and in Britain as a whole."

Conservative leader Coun Tony Beckett added: "I don't think it's offensive, but then I don't come from Pakistan.

"As with all words, it all depends on the context."

By David Watkinson