WHITE people are leaving some towns at record rates as ethnic minorities move in, a study shows.

Experts warn action is needed now to tackle the “increasing segregation”.

6 Report urges white British residents of urban areas such as Whitechapel East London, to remain where they are Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd

England’s white population overall fell from 86.8 per cent in 2001 to 79.8 in 2011.

During that ten-year period, the number of white residents in Newham, East London, dropped from 33.6 per cent to 16.7 per cent.

And in Slough, Berks, it fell from 58.3 per cent to 34.5. Leicester, Birmingham and Luton also saw large declines across the decade.

RELATED STORIES Exclusive 'Extremely embarrassing' British Army doesn't have one senior ethnic minority officer despite diversity 'drive' shanghaI-LY OFFENSIVE Chinese airline sparks race fury after flight mag says be wary of London's ethnic minority areas Exclusive 'QUITE SHOCKING' Beeb bosses slammed as local news show sets minority 'quotas' in bid to boost viewership Exclusive Discrim up North BBC sparks outrage after job on The One Show is only open to candidates from ‘ethnically diverse background’ Bad Day for BBC Ethnic minorities 'within their rights to ask why they should pay their TV licence fee', MP rages

The study by diversity researcher Professor Ted Cantle found some white people felt where they lived was “no longer for them”.

He said: “White people are leaving urban areas in a disproportionate number and avoid moving to diverse areas when they do move.

“Some made no bones about it — they are moving out because ‘they’ are moving in.

“Policies may be needed to encourage white British residents to remain in diverse areas.”

In one case a community cohesion officer in Yorkshire told Prof Cantle he was the first Asian to move into a particular street and that within three years virtually every white family had gone.

He said: "Some of those families made no bones about it - they said they are moving out because 'they' are moving in." The research looked at census data from 1991, 2001 and 2011 to examine the movement of the white British population.

Prof Cantle predicts the divide between minorities and the white majority will be even greater by the 2021 census and has advised the government to intervene.

6

6 The bombshell report revealed that some areas of Blackburn are 95 per cent Asian Credit: Barry Greenwood

Echoes of Umunna’s warning over race The report echoes a warning from a senior Labour MP that Brits may turn on each other unless spiralling ethnic divides are tackled.

Chuka Umunna described the country as being "at a crossroads" that could elect a "Donald Trump-style" leader next unless races and communities start to integrate better.

Speaking in May he said: "Britain has become more ethnically segregated as a nation as immigration has risen."

The South London MP added: "If we don't act to bridge divides in our communities, they will grow into gulfs."

6 Report describes the pace of change in some urban areas as 'striking', with a decrease in the white population of more than 50 per cent between 1991 and 2011 Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd

Other places that recorded large drops included Birmingham, where it went from 65.6 per cent to 53.1 percent, in Leicester, where it decreased from 60.5 per cent to 45.1 per cent, and Luton which fell from 64.9 per cent to 44.6 per cent.

In London, between 2001 and 2011, around 620,000 white British people left the city, most of whom moved to "whiter" areas.

Whites left London at three times the rate of minorities. This was all despite London's population increasing by approximately one million.

Prof Cantle concluded in his report: "Segregation remains, or is increasing.

"Minorities in many towns and cities, traditionally the areas of settlement for minorities, are becoming more isolated from White British people.

"Minorities in a significant and growing number of smaller geographic areas are becoming highly isolated from White British people.

"Where areas have become more mixed, minorities have generally become more isolated from the White British.

"Segregation has been linked to prejudice and intolerance of the 'other' due to the lack of contact and interaction across social and cultural boundaries.

"With this in mind, present patterns suggest that policies may be needed to encourage White British residents to remain in diverse areas..and choose, rather than avoid, diverse areas when they do re-locate."

Labour’s Chuka Umunna, chairman of the parliamentary group on integration, said: “All parts of society have a role to play in preventing the UK becoming more fragmented.”

Uphold British traditions to stop segregation A recent major review warned British laws and traditions need to be vigorously upheld to stop ethnic segregation.

The report published in September also said waves of immigration have dramatically changed the character of some state schools and left Brits feeling unsettled.

Dame Louise Casey, the government’s integration tsar, blasted councils for “over worrying” about causing offence.

She said that only by promoting “core” British laws, traditions and cultures in every ethnic community can Britain hope to integrate fully and defeat the “hate-mongers” from the far-Right and Islamist extremists who want to divide the country.

Dame Louise said one white manager at a community centre was so scared of offending ethnic minorities that he put up a “festive tree” instead of a Christmas tree.

She added said: “What offence did he think he was causing?

“What did we ever think would be offensive about celebration Christmas with a tree?”

6 Credit: Getty Images

Cities, such as London, have seen areas develop where the white British population is "increasingly dwindling"

6 Prof Cantle all the evidence suggests that prejudice and intolerance in towns like Luton, pictured can be broken down by contact Credit: Alamy

Retired tool maker Russell Williams, 60, said he’d seen Slough change: "I've lived round here my whole and the mass immigration started when I was a kid. I was the only white kid in my cricket and football teams.

"I haven't got a problem with it, some of my best pals are Asian, but some white people have a different attitude.

"I know a lot have moved away because they say it feels like a foreign country now but I don't agree."

Shop assistant Kash Butt, 37, who moved from Pakistan in 2005, said the "white flight" was fuelled by the younger generation and the closure of pubs and nightclubs.

The dad of two said: "Young English people like their night life but a lot of the pubs have closed down and there's no nightclubs. Young Asians don't care so much about that.

"They also don't want to do the jobs as much like working in shops and cafes, they tend to go off to London and places like that to get better jobs.

"Most people I work with are Asian or Eastern European, there are only four white people out of about 20."