Tough decisions must be made to prevent "increasing segregation" between white and Asian communities in Bradford, Britain's race chief has warned.

Sir Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Commission for Racial and Equality (CRE), said "mistrust and fracture" could develop if different racial and religious groups lived separately.

In a hard-hitting speech, Sir Trevor said Bradford would soon become a "plural city" where no one race holds a demographic majority.

He spoke out as Government statistics showed white and ethnic minority communities are becoming increasingly segregated by growing population movement and immigration.

Bradford's white community would become a minority by 2016, Sir Trevor told a CRE conference in Leicester.

He said: "We have some tough decisions to make, but events across Europe have shown how segregation breeds mistrust and fracture.

"The benefits of plural cities can be great, but we need to look at the future and act responsibly."

Mr Phillips pointed to last year's race riots in Birmingham, the disorder in France and the Muslim cartoon protests across Europe to warn of the dangers.

Marsha Singh, Labour MP for Bradford West, warned against over-reacting.

He said: "There are already certain parts of Britain where there is a non-white majority and there does not seem to have been any terrible outcomes.

"I think it is important not to over-react to demographic changes, but it is important to make sure the interests of the minority group, whether they are white, black or Asian, are looked after."

Nigel Harris, emeritus

professor at University College London, also played down the risks.

He said: "We have had a wonderfully diverse society for a very long time. To collapse this into an issue about black versus white seems bizarre."