It was the naming competition that captured the nation's imagination.
After the infamous campaign to christen the Natural Environment Research Council's new vessel ''Boaty McBoatface', Oldham Council's decision to put the name of their brand new gritter to public tender was always likely to attract some interesting suggestions.
The responses ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous - with a few very dodgy efforts to boot. Much of the humour was very dark and very funny, as can be seen in the following examples...
https://twitter.com/CosyFT/status/801702821926203392
https://twitter.com/stamfordstu/status/801557926938836992
https://twitter.com/TheSimonEvans/status/801700744021889024
https://twitter.com/WeahsCousin/status/801561574045614080
https://twitter.com/wren154/status/801694877633413120
https://twitter.com/Jfarrers/status/801688145351806976
https://twitter.com/petehayman/status/801687098021576704
https://twitter.com/Inst_4_Studies/status/801549154149421060
https://twitter.com/Mwdsly/status/801537270981476352
https://twitter.com/HSV_Valiant/status/801556653334286341
https://twitter.com/Mnrrnt/status/801560379663011846
https://twitter.com/andycmanutd1/status/801562041496588296
https://twitter.com/GarethSoye/status/801561812449853440
Our personal favourite was this piece of genius...
https://twitter.com/Transsomething/status/801569332283277312
Alas none of these were deemed quite suitable for the rock-salt dispensing vehicle. Instead the Council announced on Friday that, after careful deliberation, they had finally decided upon this pun-tastic moniker...
https://twitter.com/BBCRadioManc/status/804638073946599424
As you can imagine, for a public decision of far greater consequence than Brexit or Scottish Devolution, the news has been received with a mixed response. Not everyone is pleased with the rather 'safe' option...
https://twitter.com/levetsmcfc/status/804684472570482688
https://twitter.com/DavidBeattie86/status/804684558641876992
https://twitter.com/ColinGPaterson/status/804664973913952256
https://twitter.com/KevWhitt/status/804638351177510912
https://twitter.com/crouchingbadger/status/804688372983857152
