BOLTON has finally achieved its goal to be named as a city - well, thanks to a quirk in technology.

Eagled-eyed users of Apple Maps have spotted that Bolton has been designated as a city and not a town.

In the latest version of the app it shows up as ‘Bolton City Centre’, leaving app users baffled.

Bolton, the UK’s biggest town with over 260,000 residents, has applied for city status on numerous occasions.

The town lost out to Preston in 2000 and then again to Chelmsford in 2012. A new bid seems unlikely in the near future due to the pandemic.

But Mayor Cllr Linda Thomas personally thinks a city status would really give Bolton a boost, particularly once redevelopment plans go ahead.

Cllr Thomas said: “We’ve always had the aspiration to become a city. Whether it’s the right time with everything that’s going on on with the pandemic to be directing our attention to make a bid, I'm not sure.

“But I think that desire to become a city is still there. We do have a growing population, we’ve got a town centre which could become a city centre.

“And we have a beautiful parish church which could become a cathedral. Personally I think it would give us a boost if we were made a city.”

“I have noticed a lot of visitors refer to us as a city anyway. I personally think we have all the ingredients to become a city.”

Yasmin Qureshi, Bolton South East MP said: “We should already have city status. I am very proud of Bolton. It is a unique place to live and I can’t think of anywhere with a stronger local identity in a region not short of places like that.

“While being part of Greater Manchester brings benefits, I always hear time and again from my constituents the pride we have in our Lancastrian heritage and our unique Boltonian identity.

“Bolton stands out against places already given city status, with our proud history as an industrial centre, Bolton Wanderers and impressive infrastructure like our hospital, colleges and university.”