Scientists trying to settle the centuries-old debate of where England's north-south divide lies have sparked controversy after identifying a major Norfolk town as northern.
Researchers used the locations of Greggs and Pret A Manger stores to attempt to show where the line bisects the country, with the bakery chain seen as 'northern' and the sandwich store as 'southern'.
The 'tongue in cheek' idea was that, by plotting where Greggs' steak bakes and sausage rolls give way to Pret's organic coffee and humous and falafel salad pots, a line could be drawn demonstrating the country's great regional fault line.
The Sheffield Hallam University study involved inputting the longitude and latitude of all of England's Greggs and Pret stores and using that to create a northern/southern dividing line.
And, when artificial intelligence (AI) was used to calculate another north and south boundary, adding data including Gross Domestic Household Income, King's Lynn and parts of coastal Norfolk - including upmarket villages like Brancaster and Burnham Market - were placed 'up north'.
King's Lynn has three Greggs stores, with a fourth on the way. Unlike Norwich - with eight Greggs and one Pret - which was defined as 'southern', it does not have a Pret.
The report said: "It assigns the top of Norfolk, including King’s Lynn and the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as northern.
"Norwich avoids this and remains classified as southern.
"It is notable that the predicted line from both of these calculations passes close to the Watford Gap services on the M1 motorway.
"This has long been touted in British conversation as a location that lies along the English north-south divide."
The scientists said their study was "light-hearted" and acknowledged that it had "significant limitations".
Not least of those limitations were that Cornwall - at the southernmost tip of England - was classified as 'northern'.
Northern, Southern or Eastern? What do people in King's Lynn think?
People in King's Lynn and the parts of Norfolk defined as 'northern' in the study were not convinced by the label.
READ MORE: Historic photos show King’s Lynn over the decades
Andrew Jamieson, Conservative borough and county councillor, said: "I think I'd consider myself eastern and I am not convinced that people in leafy Brancaster and Burnham Market are going to see themselves as northerners."
Rob Colwell, Liberal Democrat borough and county councillor, said: "I see myself as an East Anglian and a European, but if you put me on the spot, then I think I'd say I was a southerner. It has certainly raised a few eyebrows."
Alexandra Kemp, independent borough and county councillor, said: "We consider ourselves to be eastern. We have a distinct identity and history, as a port town and member of the Hanseatic League."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here