The British National Party has been accused of attempting to exploit tensions between Muslims and Sikhs in a Government-funded report released into relations between the two communities.

Academics have warned of a “real danger” of “serious communal disorder” in the future in some towns and cities as the BNP attempts to build on differences between the two groups.

The study, carried out for the inter-faith group Faith Matters, said tensions included “serious acts of violence” between Muslim and Sikh youths over the past nine years in some areas and allegations of “forced conversions” of Sikh girls by Muslim boys.

The BNP was attempting to “fish” in these “troubled waters”, the report said, by forming anti-Muslim alliances with Sikhs and Hindus.

Although the far-right party had “singularly failed” to attract significant support from either groups, the report added, fostering anti-Muslim feeling amongst religious minorities had the potential to breed “political extremism” whether or not this was reflected in votes for the party.

The document highlighted the case of Rajinder Singh, a Sikh who received widespread publicity after it was revealed he was set to become the first non-white member of the BNP.

His “hatred” of Islam was said to stem from the fact that his father was killed during the violence experienced during the partition of the Punjab in 1947, the report noted.

There are estimated to be between 500,000 and 550,000 Sikhs and around 2.4 million Muslims in the UK.

Historically, Muslims and Sikhs have lived in different areas with the Muslim population concentrated in East London, West Midlands and the North West, the report said.

”Heavy concentrations” of Sikhs are to be found in West London, West Midlands, East Midlands and Yorkshire, it said.

Since 2001 some areas such as Southall, Slough, West Bromwich, Handsworth, and Hillingdon, traditionally associated with the Sikh community, have experienced an increase in Muslim settlement.

The research, released by Faith Matters, called for effective dialogue between the two groups and for the two communities to “rediscover” their shared cultural heritage, including a common Punjabi heritage, history and culture.

Funding for Muslim and Sikh organisations in areas with a significant presence of the two groups should be conditional on promoting cross-community relations between the two, particularly among youth and women, it said.

Faith Matters founder and director Fiyaz Mughal, said the “collective amnesia” among the two communities must be addressed quickly.

He said: “Although the report illustrates how the BNP have exploited existing tensions, it also highlights that - by realising both groups have a shared common heritage, culture and political experience - these tensions may be overcome.”

He named Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Derby, Slough and Coventry as areas where there could be potential for a “flashpoint” in the future.

But he added: “I would also say there is a lot of work that people are trying to do to bring that tension down.”

Report author Professor Gurharpal Singh, of Birmingham University, said: “The only way to resolve the crisis is to re-discover the sense of shared cultural and historic identity - it is better for them to work together.”

A Department of Communities and Local Government spokeswoman said they could not comment because of pre-Election “purdah” preventing Whitehall civil servants from publicising new or controversial initiatives.