Christine McGuinness has spoken about the difficulties of caring for her autistic children after husband Paddy was challenged over the use of a disabled parking space.

Christine and the Bolton comic have six-year-old twins Leo and Penelope who have autism, as well as three-year-old daughter Felicity who the couple believe is also on the autistic spectrum.

Earlier this week Paddy spoke out on Twitter to slam an 'ignorant tool' who took him to task for using a blue badge while on a trip out with his children.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast yesterday, Christine said she is regularly confronted by 'complete strangers' who challenge her use of a blue badge.

She said: "Nine out of 10 times I will get questioned on why I'm parked there, and am I entitled to use that badge, and which one is disabled.

"And I find myself having to calmly explain that actually my children are autistic and you might not be able to see it but if I wasn't parked here we would be in a different situation right now."

Asked how her children react to being confronted, Christine replied: "They are not comfortable with us being approached by complete strangers, so that then makes things even worse."

Earlier this week Paddy revealed how he was dropping his kids off at a play centre and had the relevant disability badges on display when he was challenged by someone he didn't know.

He wrote on Twitter: "Just had a deep breath and walk away moment.

"(I) Parked in a disability space while they got out.

"Had all our relevant disability badges on display only for some b*** *nd to come over and tell us that we don’t look disabled.

He added: "I took a deep breath and sent my children in. Luckily they didn’t understand what was going on?

"Once they’d happily gone in I approached this ignorant tool.

"All I wanted to do was bounce him off every car but there would only be one loser in that, me!

"Instead I tried to explain to him that not all disabilities are the same? The ignorance and sheer pomposity of telling someone they don’t look disabled really makes my blood boil!

"How does someone have to look to have a disability? #ignorance."