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

The former neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "When we moved here, I think Andy would be maybe 16 or 17, so he was almost going away to university.

"The three boys played football in the garden, a lot, and their footballs came over into our garden, so we saw and heard them quite a lot."

Her husband recalled how even in his teenage years Burnham was a good communicator and "remembered people".

"We only really met him just before he went to university and he was obviously very good then, so he'd learned those skills quite early on," he said.

Danni, who lives close to Common Lane, said her son attended college with Burnham's niece and said she occasionally sees the Labour man in the local Sainsbury's store.

She said it was "really exciting" that someone who grew up in the village could become the country's next prime minister.

"He just seems like a very kind of down-to-earth guy and I think he's going to involve the north a bit more which is always nice, because it's always very south-centric isn't it down at Parliament."

A few doors down from Burnham's childhood home was Lindsay, who only recently moved to the area but remembered him from his time as MP for Leigh - before he left Westminster to run for Greater Manchester mayor.

"I think it's a good thing for the North, I do, hopefully, he'll do really well," she said.

"He's just always worked hard at what he's done and he deserves to be where he is.

"You used to see him walking down Bradshawgate in Leigh all the time, waiting for you to go and approach him."

Burnham has always remembered those who helped him, none more so than the late Paul Goggins, Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East.

Burnham described Goggins, who died in January 2014, as his mentor.

At Goggins' funeral, the then MP for Leigh and shadow health secretary, said: "Every time I had a problem when I was first elected, I would call Paul Goggins – who do I call now?"

Wyn Goggins, Paul's widow, said the pair "were very close friends – in addition to their politics they were northerners who shared the same faith and loved football".

"Paul helped Andy a lot when he was first elected."

While excited that Burnham could be PM she has mixed emotions at the prospect and said it will be "hard" seeing him come under increased media focus.

"His lovely family come under so much scrutiny but they are strong and he knows what happens in politics."