THE first Malton and Norton Town Crier Competition was a cold but colourful event, taking place as part of Malton’s first literature festival.

Eight contestants took part from across Yorkshire, and gave a series of cries through the town, judges by a panel on accuracy, volume and clarity.

David Jackson is Malton’s town crier and hosted the event, and said the cold weather affected the turnout, but not the contestants’ performances.

He said: “We had a sprinkling of spectators for the event, because it was so cold, but it only rained during our lunch break.

“It was a close competition, and the criers all did really well. The winner was Ken Knowles, from Lichfield, but there was only 0.2 of a point between the top three.

Eliza Mowe, from Barnoldswick, and Marjorie Dodds, from Chesterle- street, finished very close behind.”

The planned junior town crier competition did not go ahead, as most of the young people from the area were enjoying other events as part of the literature festival, but David said the main competition was still a good show.

He said: “I would like to give special thanks to the judges who had to sit out in the cold for 45 minutes.

“Councillors Jason Fitzgerald- Smith and Paul Farndale, the mayors of Malton and Norton, Steven Welford, expert in diction, John Collins our accuracy expert, and the adjudicator Dennis Townsend all did their jobs manfully.”

With a year to go before the next contest, David’s next job as Malton town crier will be a more festive event. He said: “In about a month’s time I’ll be at the switching on of the town’s Christmas lights, and I’m hoping to do something at the upcoming Dickens festival too.”