A SIKH taxi driver has condemned racists who have used this week's terror alerts to taunt him and his son.

Balbir Singh,45, from Darlington, said since Thursday morning he and his family had been subjected to abuse from youths in the town.

Mr Singh said more needed to be done to educate people about different religions as he feels, as a Sikh, he is victimised.

On one occasion, he was taunted by yobs who accused him of being a Muslim and a terrorist.

Yesterday afternoon, he was called by his wife who said there was a gang of youths outside their house who had been shouting racist abuse.

His eight-year-old son, Harbaljit, has also been the target of the abuse.

Two Sikh priests who were visiting Darlington were also called "Bin Laden" and "Pakis", he said, and the Sikh temple in Lawrence Street was being damaged by vandals.

Mr Singh said he had never experienced abuse of this nature until Thursday's terror alerts.

He said: "I am from the Punjab in India and have been living here since I was ten years old. People should get the message that there is a difference between people.

"When I try and tell people I am a Sikh I just get more abuse.

"It's going to get a bit out of hand. If they keep getting me wrong, there'll be other people who are having the same thing happen to them. We have nothing to do with this."

Mr Singh said he has not yet reported the incidents to police.

Inspector Bill Dutton, of Darlington police, said he was not aware of any increase in racist incidents following the terror alerts.

He said: "It would seem people have been quite understanding and well educated about it. However, I would urge anybody who has been subject to the abuse of this nature to come forward."