German police have warned refugee groups against visiting carnival celebrations because of the risk of 'undesirable interactions' with local people.

The North Rhine-Westphalia state police said they feared what would happen if there were 'mass appearances of refugees and asylum seekers' at traditional festivals.

Carnival celebrations in Germany, known as Fasching, last from November through until Rose Monday, the day before Shrove Tuesday, which this year is on 27 February.

Last year Cologne saw large demonstrations by Far-Right groups after several women were sexually assaulted on New Year's Eve by men of North African origin

Crowds will pack the centre of Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz, for parades and traditional performances of folk music and dance.

But the memo, obtained by the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper and reported in The Independent, said: 'We are aware that last year, carers of refugees and asylum seekers organised visits to carnival events.'

'In light of the ongoing security situation in Germany, due to the events of the past couple of years, it could lead to undesirable interactions with the population and we advise against it.'

The police lost control of the centre of Cologne on New Year's Eve 2015 and the authorities are obviously keen not to have a repeat of such a situation but they have been accused of racial profiling

Petra Jennen, who runs a refugee centre in Leverkusen, told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger the letter made her 'embarrassed' to be German.

She said: 'I will not tell our families that they should not go to the parade. Even in an internal email, the district government and state police cannot communicate in this way.'

The memo goes on to advise anyone attending the carnivals to expect high security and a heavy police presence and ordered them not to carry 'large bags, rucksacks or dangerous objects'.

Tension remains high in Germany after a Christmas market in Berlin was attacked by Anis Amri, a Tunisian refugee and ISIS sympathiser, who mowed down and killed 11 pedestrians.

Cologne was the scene of a series of sexual assaults on young women by men of North African origin on New Year's Eve 2015, which was followed by large demonstrations by Far-Right groups.