THE quirkiness of Oswaldtwistle's name was discussed on hit Channel Four show Gogglebox at the weekend.

The Malone family were shown watching TV when dad Tom said he almost hit a deer near Oswaldtwistle — leading to a humourous chat over its quirky name.

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His son, Tom Jnr, said: "Who names a place Oswaldtwistle?"

Mum Julie added: "It's near Accrington Stanley, isn't it. You see sign posts for Accrington Stanley on the way to Oswaldtwistle."

Tom then summed up viewers' feelings when he finished the conversation, saying: "I'm only saying a deer jumped out on the road.

"Next time I'll just tell everyone it was Bury."

The origin of the town's name isn't entirely clear, but legend states St Oswald, the king of Northumbria from 634 until 642, passed through the area, which was later branded Oswald's Twistle, an old English word meaning 'brooks meet'.

However, others argue it was named after a humble farmer working in the area.