Town criers vie to be best in south in Wimborne contest

Wimborne Minster hosts the town crier competition for the fourth time

Town criers will shout their praises later as they bid to be named the best in southern England.

Competitors will battle it out over two rounds in Wimborne in Dorset.

The first will reveal fascinating facts about the contestants' home towns while the second will be a speech of the crier's choice.

Judges will mark both rounds by traditional rules across four categories - volume, clarity, diction and inflection.

Prizes will be awarded for the champion cry, the best dressed crier, best dressed escort and best dressed couple.