How Andy Burnham’s school teacher inspired him to believe in himself.

“I think Andy was probably 16 or 17 when we moved here, so he was about to go to university,” said a former neighbour, who did not want to be named.

“The three boys played a lot of football in the garden, and their footballs went into our garden, so we saw and heard them a lot.”

Her husband remembers that Burnham was sociable and “remembered people” as a teenager.

“We actually met him before he went to university and he was obviously very talented then, so he’s only just learned those skills,” he said.

Danny, who lives near Common Lane, said her son went to college with Burnham’s niece and she would occasionally see the working man in the local Sainsbury’s store.

She said it was “exciting” that someone who grew up in the village could become the country’s next prime minister.

“He seems like a very down-to-earth guy and I think he engages the north a little bit, which is always good, because he’s always very south-central and not in parliament.”

A few doors down from Burnham’s childhood home was Lindsay, who had recently moved to the area but remembered him from his time as MP for Leigh – before leaving Westminster to run for mayor of Greater Manchester.

“I think it’s a good thing for the North, I do, I hope, he does very well,” she said.

He works hard at what he does and deserves to be where he is.

“You always saw him going down Leigh Bradshawgate waiting for you to approach him.”