The Wigan street which could decide the result of the crucial Makerfield by-election.

It has traditionally been split equally between Labour and Reform voters.

At one end is the working men's club where Labour candidate Andy Burnham launched his campaign.

The road also sits in the Ashton-in-Makerfield South ward, which Reform seized from Labour in May's local elections.

Locals say Bolton Road is at the centre of the battle between Labour's traditional support and Reform's growing insurgency.

Residents describing it as a snapshot of the wider contest playing out across the constituency.

The 1.7-mile stretch of Victorian terraces, post-war semis and corner shops is home to predominantly white working-class families in a former mining community.

Labour and Reform signs compete for space in front windows, with neighbours divided over who should represent Makerfield.

David Byrne, 56, standing outside his home on Bolton Road, said: "I'm a Lib Dem party member, but I'm going to vote tactically for Andy because it's crucial to stop the Reform vote here.

"That's why I'm going against my own party - and I'm broadly in support of what Andy is all about."

The June 18 by-election was triggered after Labour MP Josh Simons stepped aside to allow Greater Manchester Mayor Burnham to return to Westminster.

In the Ashton-in-Makerfield South ward, Reform beat Labour by 1,572 votes to 1,100 at May's local elections.

Just up the road, in neighbouring Bryn with Ashton-in-Makerfield North, Kenyon won 1,770 votes to Labour's 816 - a majority of 954.

Analysis from Manchester-based publication The Mill identified Bryn as one of the strongest Reform-leaning parts of the constituency, with more than 40 per cent of residents aged over 65.

It also found that support for Labour and Reform can vary dramatically between neighbouring communities in the constituency.

Across Wigan, Reform won 24 of the 25 council seats up for election in May while Labour lost every seat it was defending.

Yet despite those gains, Labour retained overall control of the authority with 42 councillors to Reform's 25.

Labour also won the Makerfield parliamentary seat at last year's General Election, taking 45.2 per cent of the vote to Reform's 31.8 per cent.

David said: "I wasn't happy at the fact that the by-election was called in the first place when our MP Josh Simons stood down to make room for Andy.

"I felt it was artificially engineered."

Asked why he opposed Reform, he added: "I couldn't agree with their political stance.

"With all respect, I worry about the competency of the candidate here as well.

"Some of the things he has put on social media and the official response to that from Reform UK has been pretty poor."

Kenyon has faced scrutiny during the campaign over historic social media posts, including a row over his response to a sexually explicit comment about TV presenter Carol Vorderman.

A short distance away from David, on the opposite side of the road, Liam Bentham, 30, is backing Reform.

He said: "The Tories were in power for 14 years and everything went badly.

"Now Labour are back in power and it just seems like they're repeating the same mistakes.

"Reform came along and they're something new."

Liam believes Kenyon's local roots could prove decisive.

He said: "The candidate seems like a normal, decent lad from round here - he's not been parachuted in like a lot of them are.

"I think Reform will win, but I also think Burnham stands a good chance.

"We're an old mining town and everyone has always voted Labour."

Alice Pridding, 29, said her family had always backed Labour but she intended to vote Reform.

She said: "With the cost of everything going up, I think something needs to be done about it, which is why I wanted Reform and go for something new.

"I do like Andy Burnham, but I think we need something new."

Not everyone on Bolton Road plans to vote.

Holly Calladine, 30, said: "I don't follow politics and I haven't read into it enough, so I have no knowledge.

"I feel like it's tricky, because whichever way you go, there are always good and bad things.

"I wouldn't know where to start, so I probably won't be voting."

Further into the town centre, retired resident May Copeland, 84, said she had not voted for years but planned to back Burnham.

She said: "I was brought up Labour. I certainly don't want it to go to Reform."

But immigration was also weighing on her mind.

She said: "I think there are too many foreigners and they bleed us dry, they keep them in hotels."

Despite that, she still preferred Burnham, adding: "I just think he comes up with the goods.

"I feel a bit happier with him. He's not got a starched collar and a tie, he's just a person."

Retired former post office worker Joan Rimmer, 76, also plans to vote Labour.

She said: "I like Andy Burnham because he seems to be for the people."

The affection for Burnham was echoed by Peter Cain, 55, owner of Ashton's Farm Shop & Deli in the town centre.

Peter said: "Andy has been in here and he's a lovely bloke, he's down to earth and he's a local lad.

"There are no airs and graces."

But even Peter acknowledged the challenge Labour faces, adding: "The majority of people that I've spoke to are voting with things like immigration in mind.

"By the time this by-election comes round, I think Ashton will be the centre of the universe."