There was stiff competition for the post of Durham City's first official town crier.

The city's market place reverberated with vocal power as, one by one, the candidates regaled shoppers from the town hall balcony.

They included retired lecturer Lawrence Jones, 65, a regular feature at medieval banquets for more than 40 years. Then there was Colin Clark, 43, who was of Brian Blessed proportions, with a personality to match.

And he had a string of television quiz shows under his belt, including the Weakest Link, and membership of a number of drama groups.

But favourite was former headmaster and city councillor Colin Beswick, 75, who has been the unofficial town crier for six years. He succeeded in swaying the judges to pick up the title.

City forum representative Colin Wilkes said they sought an individual who was articulate, diplomatic, temperate, civic minded, reliable, dignified and approachable, but also audible and with sound knowledge of local history.

David Mitchell, secretary of the Loyal Company of Town Criers, travelled from Chester, where he is town crier. He helped judge the event with his wife, Julie. Mr Mitchell said he had not been looking for just a large pair of lungs.

"There's more to it than a voice. People tend to think of it as vocal weight-lifting and go for the loudest voice. But you need to be flexible and to respond to situations spontaneously. You also need local knowledge.

"I look for personality and style and the ability to write a good cry."