Contestants in with a shout

Town criers will be judged on voice clarity and dress

Town criers are gathering to take part in the ninth European Championships on Saturday.

Competitors from England and Wales will "shout off" against town criers from Belgium, Holland and Poland.

Judges at the event in Newton Abbot, Devon, will assess the 54 entrants on their dress code, the way they throw their voices and the clarity of their delivery.

Current European champion Michael Jones, honorary crier for Whitchurch Canonicorum in Dorset, will defend his title in the biannual event.

The top 12 criers from today's heats will go through to the competition final tomorrow.

Newton Abbot town clerk Rod Tuck said town criers were carrying on an ancient tradition.

"They have evolved from the role of night watchmen who announced the news before we had radio and television," he said.