A new Urdu-speaking vicar is hoping to act as a bridge between Bradford's different communities when he moves to the city.

The Reverend John Bavington, 34, spent the first 17 years of his life in Karachi, Pakistan, and he hopes this experience along with his smattering of Urdu will help him in his new Bradford job, which will be his first post as a minister.

The parish of St Clement's in Barkerend Road is 80 per cent Asian and over 60 per cent Muslim.

Mr Bavington, who is married to Jeanie and has three boys - Ben, nine, Joseph, seven, and David, five - is currently a curate at St John and St James, West Ealing, London.

He hopes to act as a 'bridge' between the different communities in Barkerend Road. "I am looking forward to making some Pakistani friends in Bradford as well as people from other communities.

"I went to Karachi when I was still a baby. My parents have lived there since the early 60s and I stayed until I was nearly 17 years old.

"I grew up speaking English at Karachi Grammar School but I do speak some Urdu although I am not very fluent.

"That may come in handy in St Clement's and break the ice a bit. I hope my experience in Karachi will have some bearing on my new job. The vast majority of my friends there were Muslims.''

He added: "Jeanie and I spent five years in the Kings Cross area of London as youth workers which prepared me for inner city life. There was a variety of problems especially crime and deprivation.

"The youngsters needed to get respect from somewhere and often did it by trying to impress their friends in one way or another. We tried to give them self-respect and make them see that life was about more than smashing up cars.''

Before beginning his new job in June, he will take a holiday in Karachi with his family where his parents Dan and Ruth still live.

Mr Bavington has family in Bradford including his uncle Dr John Bavington, a retired psychiatrist at Lynfield Mount Hospital, and his cousin, Dr Alistair Bavington, who is a GP in Girlington.

Mr Bavington's licensing will take place on June 22 at 7pm at St Clement's.