A major report into race and culture has praised the Leicester Mercury for its work.

Researchers questioned around 2,000 people across Leicester and found the diverse communities of the city respect each other and are proud of its reputation as a harmonious multi-cultural place.

But it said that at a grass roots level the different communities rarely mix, and the challenge facing the city was to create a truly inter-cultural community by cutting across the barriers and getting to know each other.

The report said the Mercury was making a positive contribution to the city's multi-cultural society.

It said: "The media has often been accused of tarnishing the image of migrants and creating stereotypes in many British cities.

"The Leicester Mercury, with its editor Nick Carter and his team, have been above such criticism.

"It is a popular paper with all the communities because it is fair and seems to give equal coverage to the activities of the communities."

The research, led by academic Asaf Hussain, focused on Saffron Lane, Braunstone, Spinney Hills and Belgrave.

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