A HUDDERSFIELD man joined mourners at the funeral of a leading figure of Britain’s Sikh community.

Lord Tarsem Singh King, who died aged 75, served as a Labour councillor for almost 30 years and was made a life peer in 1999.

Huddersfield Sikh community leader Manjit Singh was among hundreds of people who attended his funeral in West Bromwich last week.

Lord King was the uncle of Manjit’s daughter-in-law Sukainder, and visited Manjit’s home at Birkby several times.

Manjit said: “I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his family.

“Lord King served for almost 30 years as a councillor before serving the whole community in the House of Lords.

“His was a great achievement for Sikhs in Britain and it is sad to lose such a great, peace-loving man. I hope one day, someone will follow in his footsteps.”

Lord King served on Sandwell Council in the Midlands from 1979 to 2007 and was deputy mayor in 1982 and mayor in 2001.

He was made a life peer in 1999 as Baron King of West Bromwich and since 2006 served as treasurer of the all-party parliamentary group on India.

His political interests included local government, education and small business.

He received an award from Sikh Community and Youth Service UK in 2001 for his contribution to the Sikh and wider communities in the UK.

Dal Singh Dhesy, the organisation’s chairman, said: “He was an inspiration to us all. The Sikh community has lost a great leader and many of us have lost a great friend”.