BOLTON’S richest family is going up in the world, despite their fortunes taking a knock in the recession.

The Sunday Times’ influential annual rundown of the wealthiest people in Britain shows the Warburton family has jumped 43 places from last year.

Yet their net worth has dropped from an estimated £430 million to £330 million.

Fifth generation Warburton cousins Bret, Jonathan and Ross, who run the celebrated bakers, have guided the family to joint sixth in the North West rich list and 156 nationally.

Depsite their continued success, the Warburtons — who are sponsoring a category at this year’s Bolton and Bury Business Awards — still have a fair way to go to catch up with the North West’s richest man.

The Duke of Westminster, with inherited assets of £6,500 million, is third in the national list. But even he has lost £500 million compared to last year’s figures.

The only other billionaire in the North West is Lord Granchester, who, along with the rest of the Liverpool-based Moores family — made wealthy from the proceeds of the Littlewoods pools and chain stores — has reported assets of around £1,200 million.

Other rich North West families include Dave Whelan, owner of Wigan Athletic, who is reportedly worth £190 million. His estimated fortune is down five per cent from last year’s figure of £200 million.

Bookmaking brothers Fred and Peter Done, who started out in Salford, are ranked fourth in the regional list, with assets of £510 million, down 20 per cent on last year’s figure of £640 million.

And the Blackburn-based Walker family, with a fortune of £400 million, based on steel, aviation and property, have seen their wealth almost halve, from the £750 million quoted in last year’s list.

The Sunday Times Rich List is compiled from identifiable wealth, such as land, property and other assets, but excludes bank accounts.

It takes a minimum fortune of £55 million to make this year’s top 1,000, £25 million less than last year, the first time the threshold has fallen since 2003.