WE are looking for help as we try to solve a mystery that has puzzled us here at The Bolton News.

A story appeared in yesterday’s Bolton News about the model elephants that are now above the pizza takeaway near the play park in Bolton town centre.

It caused a bit of controversy in the office as we decided to investigate the popularity of elephants in the town.

Having decided that they were synonymous with Bolton because they appear on the town’s coat of arms that was about all we knew.

If you look at the coat of arms you will see that there is an elephant at the top with a castle on his back.

Apparently many other towns and cities have the same interesting coat of arms or certainly one that is very similar.

What we now would love to know is why elephants are a recognised symbol in Bolton.

Of course the model elephants used to be in Newport Street and they were a very popular tourist attraction.

So is there any particular reason why elephants have such a place in our history?

Was it anything to do with cotton industry as one colleague suggested?

Or something to do with their incredible strength?

Contact Gayle McBain on 01204 537269 or email gayle.mcbain@nqnw.co.uk