The County Town of Northumberland played host to The Town Criers British Championships 2008 on Saturday. And it proved to be an event worth shouting about.
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VIDEO of British Championship 2008-
SLIDESHOW of British Championship 2008 Twenty-two vocal entertainers from across England descended upon the historic Market Place to pit their witty ditties against one another.
Battling against the unseasonal conditions, in particular the heavy afternoon rain, the oyez, oyez, oyez orators filled the town with an orgy of noise, colour, humour and spectacle and entertained the crowds.
Anne Shilton, project development officer at Alnwick Community Development Trust, said: "The event went very well. We were delighted at the success of the event and we have had fantastic feedback.
"A lot of people who came to watch said it was a great spectacle, great fun, something very different and a good thing for Alnwick.
"The criers did exceptionally well and carried on crying in the rain, they were real troopers and real professionals.
"They had a brilliant time and loved Alnwick."
The day was a success for town crier David Mitchell.
Representing Chester, David was left singing in the rain after he romped to championship victory.
Fighting off competition from Alistair Chisholm and Paul Gough, David was crowned British Champion for the first time ever in his 10-year stint as a crier.
CLICK HERE FOR DAVID MITCHELL'S WINNING CRIESDavid, who has been a British Championship runner-up three times in the past, was delighted to finally get his hands of the gong.
He said: "I have been town crier for Chester for 10 years so it was a nice way to celebrate my 10-year anniversary.
"Three times I have been runner-up so I was under a lot of pressure from my eight-year-old son (Spencer) to go one better and become British Champion.
"So not only is it a great honour and a pleasure to win but it gets me out of trouble with my son."
But his successful Alnwick stint did not stop there. David scooped the Best Content of Cry and the Best Dressed Crier accolades - his livery handmade by Julie Mitchell, David's wife and fellow crier.
And it didn't stop there. He completed his haul by being nominated the People's Champion, voted for by spectators.
And following in his dad's footsteps, David's son, Spencer, was voted as the Best Dressed Escort.
Also muscling in on the act were Brenda Willison of Market Deeping and Peter and Maureen Taunton of Stafford, winning Best Ambassador and Best Dressed Couple respectively.
The event proved a hit with Alnwick's bellman John Stevens.
Unable to compete in his home event, John was compere for the competition. He praised David for his win.
"The standard was absolutely brilliant. All the cries were excellent but David's second cry - 'Where in the world would I drink my Alnwick Rum?' was one of the best I've heard," he said.
And he added: "I thought it was a very good day and all the criers told me it was fantastic and they were blown away with Alnwick.
"I'd also like to thank the general public for their support.
