INDERPAL Randhawa is a busy man.

As well as being a full-time bus driver and owner of Linthwaite Mini-Market, he is the new chairman of Huddersfield's Interfaith Council.

Mr Randhawa, 49, has just taken up the reigns of the town's top multi-religious forum.

The group, which includes Baha'is, Christians, Sikhs, Jews, Muslims and Hindus, aims to promote understanding and tolerance between the faiths.

Mr Randhawa, who came to Britain in 1981 after graduating from university in India, said he was delighted to have been chosen as the new chair.

Mr Randhawa, who was representative of the Sikh community at a lunch with the Queen last year, said: "It is a great honour to be chair.

"The group is the best thing we can do to get everyone together from different religions.

"We exchange views and values and so increase understanding."

Mr Randhawa, whose extensive list of roles over the years include president of Guru Nanak Sikh Temple and a member of both the Indian Workers' Association and Kirklees Racial Equality Council, paid tribute to his predecessor Kiran Bali.

He added: "She did a great job and has been a wonderful chair. She will leave a hard set of shoes to fill.

"My priority for the next year is to bring the Interfaith Council more into the public eye.

"We want people in the community to know more about what we do."