TOWN crier Fred Ferris is a big noise when it comes to looking good.

The 70-year-old former bus driver has just been awarded the title of the country's best dressed town crier.

The loveable loudmouth, of Penhill Drive, has been bellowing the Swindon news since his appointment in 1997, after out-yelling five other people to become becoming Swindon's first town crier.

And he learned of his award at a ceremony in Blackpool attended by 16 other professional criers.

He said: "I was really chuffed. It was quite an honour to receive this award from the Town Crier's Association. Last year, I won an award for highlighting the work of the town crier, but I am really pleased to have won again."

For Fred, the secret of being a good town crier is about sounding good, too.

"It is not just a matter of shouting as loud as you can, it is also a matter of clarity," he said. "There is no point in making a great noise if no-one can understand what it is you are saying. You also have to make sure that you keep the same volume all the way through your speech."

When in action, Fred sports the ceremonial outfit of a 19th century station master in the Great Western Railway colours of green, black and gold, to reflect Swindon's railway heritage.

And he rings a large brass bell which was forged for him in Bath although the exact weight of the bell is a closely-guarded secret.

"I don't like to tell people, because I go to a lot of fetes and I often hold a guess the weight of the bell competition."

The job of Town Crier can be traced back as far as 1066, when news of Britain's invasion by King William of Normandy was passed from town to town by individuals specifically employed to call out the news.

The crier allowed the majority of illiterate people to learn the latest news.

The traditional call of "Oyez, Oyez" is roughly translated as hark or listen.