Birthday win for British town crier champion

A man said he was "absolutely elated" to win a British town crier competition on his birthday.

David Summer, from Mablethorpe, was among 16 criers from Britain and one from Canada who competed in the Town Criers British Championship.

They were judged on their "volume and clarity, diction and inflection".

Mr Summers said it was "a lovely job to do" and he was "very surprised" to win.

“It was a brilliant thing to happen on my birthday. I can’t think of a better way of celebrating it."

Town criers date back to the 18th Century when they would make public announcements in the streets.

They often dressed elaborately in red and gold coats, white breeches and a tricorne hat. They rang a hand bell and shouted "Oyez, Oyez, Oyez" to attract attention.

On Saturday, they extolled the virtues of their home towns as they paraded through Sleaford, leaving everyone's ears ringing.

Hosting the event, Sleaford town crier John Griffiths explained how town criers were expected to be loud and clear and would also be judged on their presentation and engagement.

“The criers write their own cries," he said, before explaining there would be two rounds - in the first the criers would promote their home town, the second cry would be themed around British film actors.

Mr Griffiths said he applied for the role of town crier after his friends told him: “You've got a big mouth. You should go for it."

Jane Smith, the town crier of Bognor Regis, said she was good at shouting because she was a mother of five.

She said: “There aren't very many ladies that are town criers, so I'm just keeping it up for the ladies.

“We just have an absolutely brilliant, brilliant time. I love crying for my town, and we've got Bognor Regis back on the map.”

Mike Wabe, the town cryer of Watton in Norfolk explained how he got into it. “I've always been a bit of a gob on a stick”, he said, “so it sort of followed naturally.

“I'm ex-services, ex-prison officer, ex-policeman. It all goes from there.”

James Stewart, town crier for New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada said he had travelled to the event in Lincolnshire for the camaraderie.

He added: “I guess we're all sort of introverted extroverts, because once the gear goes on, everything kind of changes.”

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