UKIP’S national spring party conference will be held in Bolton next month, it has been revealed.

New party leader Paul Nuttall has confirmed that the first major event with him at the helm of the party will take place at the Macron Stadium on February 17 and 18.

Mr Nuttall, who represents the North West in the European Parliament, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to arrange having our annual Spring Conference in Bolton.

“UKIP has held a number of events at the Macron Stadium over the last few years but it will be first one there since my election as Leader.

“It is important to me that the conference is being held in my constituency, the North West, and especially thrilled it is in Bolton where we are particularly strong. I have no doubt it will be a successful well attended event.”

UKIP has made great strides in Bolton in recent years, going from having zero elected councillors before 2014 to becoming the borough’s third party with five members.

Group chairman and the first of those to be elected, Cllr Paul Richardson said: “Following the Brexit vote, people have asked what the future purpose of UKIP is. To me it is simple. Having got our Country back, we now need to get our Politics back.

“Even locally, the arrogance of the ruling politicians demonstrates that there is a gulf between them and the aspirations and wishes of the man and woman in the street. We in UKIP are there to fill that gap day by day and week by week.

He added: “Now that recent issues in the Party have been resolved, I anticipate a large attendance of representatives from all over the UK at the conference which I think will be the springboard to success in the 2020 general Election.”

UKIP have held a host of events at the Macron in recent years, with Mr Nuttall’s predecessor as leader Nigel Farage visiting several times for events.

Mr Farage also made a controversial trip inside Bolton Town Hall last June but was asked to leave because of the authority’s election rules.

Group leader Cllr Sean Hornby said he is ‘looking forward’ to taking Mr Nuttall inside the town hall during the conference when there won’t be any election rules in place.

Further details regarding arrangements and tickets for the conference will be released in due course.