Town criers from across the country flocked to a market town in Wiltshire to battle it out for the title of best town crier 2024.

The Royal Wootton Bassett Town Crier Competition which takes place just once every two years was held on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

Typically known as the person shouting 'oyez, oyez,' and reading town proclamations, a Town Crier is a historically important role that originated in medieval England and is still a position held in many towns today.

Criers entering the 2024 competition paraded with dignitaries from Boroughfields Square to the Town Hall and gave their best loud calls of 'Oyez oyez'.

Residents and passersby stopped to witness the rare gathering of so many town criers, with one local telling the Swindon Advertiser: "I've never seen anything like it.

"I just went for a walk down the street and it felt like I'd stepped back in time."

Winners posed with Town Mayor Pat Farrow and Bassett's Town Crier Owen CollierWinners posed with Town Mayor Pat Farrow and Bassett's Town Crier Owen Collier (Image: Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council) First place was awarded to Leslie Ellis who had travelled all the way from Dartmouth in Devon for the competition.

Second place went to Jackie Edwards from Kingsteighton in South Devon and third place was awarded to Paul Gough from Nuneaton and Bedworth in Warwickshire.

Special prizes were also awarded to Jackie Edwards and John Hart for the best-dressed couple, and Liz Ellis for the best-dressed consort.

The next national town crier competition will be held once again in Royal Wootton Bassett on Saturday, September 19, 2026.