CALLS have been made to bring the official Team GB Olympic homecoming parade to Bolton – home of cycling star Jason Kenny.

With the country’s sporting heroes in with a chance of topping their London 2012 medal haul, the Government is organising parades through the streets of London and Manchester.

But officials are being urged to divert the parade through Bolton to allow cycling hero Jason – who won three gold medals in Rio – to lead his victorious colleagues through his home town.

Bolton Council chief executive Margaret Asquith appeared on the ITV national news to make the case for Bolton hosting some part of the parade.

She said: “We’re so proud of Jason and all our Olympic athletes and it is fantastic that we are going to have a parade in the north of the country. But Jason is the leading athlete from this part of the country and I think that could be recognised by making part of the parade come through his home town of Bolton."

She added: "We are only a short journey away from Manchester and it would be great to make Bolton a part of it."

Jason arrived back in the North West earlier this week, wearing his latest gold medals and a huge smile on his face.

Fellow Bolton Olympian Amir Khan, who won a silver medal in boxing for Team GB at the Athens Olympics in 2004 backed the idea of bringing the parade to Bolton.

He said: "What Jason has achieved at Rio is amazing and he has made everyone in Bolton proud.

"He is one of the big stars of Team GB and I think it would be great if he could lead a parade through our town.

"Bolton has a brilliant sporting heritage and I think it is time we started sharing these events with London and bringing them further north where many of our top athletes are from and train."

Also backing the idea of bringing Team GB up north for an official celebration is Andy Burnham, the favourite to become the first ever Mayor of Greater Manchester next year.

The Leigh MP said: “I strongly support the idea of having the official parade event in Greater Manchester.

“I think this will send a really strong message to London that the whole country is not based there and give a chance for the people here to come out and celebrate."

He added: “I also think it would give official recognition to Jason Kenny, Laura Trott and the whole of the cycling team, based at the Manchester velodrome, who have been the engine of Team GB’s success in my opinion.”

Speaking of Jason’s tense win in the Keirin event on Tuesday, he added: “I was so nervous, it was like watching my Everton team in action, although we don’t always get that result.

“His reaction was typical of the people of our region, humble and understated in the face of such an incredible achievement. He has done Bolton proud.”

Yasmin Qureshi MP, who represents Jason Kenny’s Farnworth home in Parliament said Bolton should be included in any northern parade.

She said: “We are all so proud of Jason and what he has achieved and I think it would be great to bring the parade here to his home town.

She added: “If they bring it here it will give people from the south a chance to come and see how fantastic we are and we will give them a big Bolton welcome.”

The Government is now working with the British Olympic Association, British Paralympic Association, Manchester City Council and The Mayor of London's Office on organising the events in the two cities.

Mrs May said: "For the past fortnight, the people of the United Kingdom have been filled with pride as we've watched our Olympians take victory in so many sports with power, grace and control.

"In every discipline and at every stage, Team GB have shown the world what we're made of: determination, dignity and true sportsmanship."