A FAKE news story about a "weirdo" who sniffs bus seats in Bolton has become an internet sensation.

The "story", headlined "WHO IS THE BOLTON BUS SEAT SNIFFER?", has been doing the rounds on social media such as Facebook and Twitter in the last few days, despite being almost two years old.

It appeared in the Sport in February 2012, and featured pictures purporting to be from CCTV footage of the man sniffing bus seats.

It also has quotes from Alfred Snitterthwaite, chairman of the the non-existent Bolton Municipal Bus and Tram Company.

The story says: "The weirdo – who always has the exact correct change – has been seen boarding the bus (pronounced “buzz” locally) from as far afield as Farnworth, Horwich and even Anglezarke."

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman confirmed that the force had no record of the incident.


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