Comedian Paddy McGuinness tells his Instagram followers that Bolton is still in Lancashire

50-year-old Paddy, who is best known for the TV shows Take Me Out, Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere and Top Gear, took to his Instagram yesterday to make a claim which is sure to divide opinion.

Sharing photos of himself taking part in an art project for Manchester College, Paddy told his 2.1 million: “It was a real honour to take part in the Greater Mancunians project with the students at Manchester College. The exhibition is full of people from music, comedy, politics, poetry, television, medicine and beyond. It’s on at Manchester Central Library April 19 - June 30. Well worth popping in if you’re in town. PS I’m still saying Bolton falls under Lancashire. 😆🌹#greatermancunians”

The comedian turned TV presenter was born and rasied in Farnworth in Bolton, which had been within the boundaries of Lancashire since the early 12th century.

Farnworth was a Municipal Borough within Lancashire county between 1936 and 1974, when it then became a part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester.

The former Lancashire town has therefore been in Manchester for fifty years but that hasn’t stopped local Paddy feeling like a Lancastrian at heart.

Did people agree with Paddy?

In the post’s comments, the majority were actually in agreement with the comedian...

mgnsmith60: “Bolton is in Lancashire !”

esmerelda51: “It definitely falls under Lancashire” 

daniel.clarke12: “Lancashire all the way lad”

johnt_1973: “Bolton is definitely Lancashire”

purdyalison: “I also say Lancashire for Rochdale”

shaniem14: “They can tell us we're greater Manchester but I know Im a Lancashire lass. " I'm from Wigan, me!”

However there were a few that weren’t so sure...

wingsofangelart66: “On yer bike mate”