VIOLENCE and spiralling racial tension in Kidderminster have been predicted by a town businessman who has been targeted by racists for the first time.

Muslim Omer Mahmood says the atmosphere has changed since the terrorist attacks on America - and fears violent scenes like those in Oldham could be on the cards unless attitudes change.

Police have stepped up security around Mr Mahmood's mobile phone shop in Blackwell Street after raiders smashed down a thick pine door and stole £2,000 worth of phones and daubed racist graffiti on the walls last week.

But before the attack Mr Mahmood had been receiving racist and threatening phone calls, which he says are symptomatic of the change in attitude towards him since the September 11 assault on New York and Washington.

Muslim extremists have since been targeted in military strikes on Afghanistan - but Mr Mahmood is keen to point out his religion does not preach violence.

He said: "It's really bizarre because I was born in England, I have a British passport and I have never even been abroad.

"I have a lot of friends in Kidderminster and had a stall on the indoor market for three years and never had any troubles whatsoever until now.

"One day after I started getting the phone calls a policeman came round to see me on my stall and another market trader said to him 'tell him to go back where he came from'. I was really hurt."

The 21-year-old, who lives in Birmingham, set up Planet Unlock in the Horsefair, his first shop in addition to market stalls in Newcastle and Manchester, about a week before the terrorist atrocities across the Atlantic.

But "helpful" police have installed a panic alarm and ensured patrol cars regularly drive past his shop, as well as monitoring and recording phone calls he receives.

His landlord has also put in place a £700 steel door to replace the old one destroyed by burglars in what Mr Mahmood described as a "frightening" display of determination.

He stressed the problem is more widespread than a couple of burglars: "The way people look at me is different now.

"But people have to understand I am exactly the same as them. While previous generations may have been immigrants I was born here and we now live in a multicultural and multiracial country.

"In Birmingham everyone works and lives together. This is the first time I have experienced racism but I am not the sort of person who is going to be frightened by this.

"But it's getting worse in Kidderminster and if we don't sort the problem out it's going to get very, very nasty around here."

A police spokeswoman said: "We are very conscious of how international events may affect our local population and we want to support them in any way we can.

"We also want to keep pushing out the message that people can tell us when they are victims of racial abuse and we will act."