ST ALBANS town crier Martin Hallett defeated his national and international counterparts to win Best Dressed Crier at the Mangotsfield International Town Criers competition this month.

Fifteen criers from the UK, Canada and the USA flocked to Bristol to join in the fun and compete.

Mr Hallett is attired in livery supplied by G Goldings Tailors of Hatfield Road, St Albans, which recently received a Royal Warrant and is renowned for the quality of its military and civil tailoring.

Receiving an engraved glass vase as his prize, the city character said he was "very pleased" to have been judged Best Dressed Crier at the final awards ceremony.

This was Mr Hallett's third competition in his role as town crier and he hopes to add to his growing collection of trophies, after his consort Jan Hurst won Best Dressed Escort for her home-made outfit at a Peterborough contest in April.

The duo's next scheduled competition is the British Championships of the Loyal Company of Town Criers, which is to be held in Blackpool on July 14.