WINDOWS rattled in their panes, pictures fell off walls and pensioners wondered who had turned their hearing aids up to full blast when town criers from far and wide converged on Barnoldswick, writes Duncan Smith.

Saturday saw the second Barnoldswick Town Crier Contest, an event organised by resident bellowing bell ringer Kevin Griffiths. Sadly, the event was also Kevin's swansong as he will shortly leave his home town for a new life in Cornwall.

Held in glorious sunshine the contest ensured that Kevin went out with a bang, not a whimper.

Eleven criers from as far afield as Stafford, Colchester, Swindon and even Hastings came to compete for the Barnoldswick Bellman trophy.

The criers, dressed in a glorious array of colourful and traditional garb, paraded through the town to the square, ringing their bells as they went. Many were accompanied by escorts, also dressed in traditional costume.

The morning saw the contestants performing their "home cry", all about the places they represent, while later they performed a cry on the theme "The hills are alive..."

The eventual winner was the current world champion, Michael Wood, town crier of Hull and the East Riding.

With Barnoldswick on the lookout for a new crier, there was also a "Try a Cry" audience participation event, with people urged to "come and have a go if you think you're loud enough".

Young Connor James Brown, son of Dalton and Barrow-in-Furness town crier Alan Brown, set the standard. Others coaxed and cajoled into a cry included Martin Randle, Mike Duckworth, Jenny Given, local councillor David Whipp and yours truly, each decked out with hat and bell.

In the evening a dinner was held at the Rolls-Royce Club, where the chairman of Barnoldswick Town Council, John Broughton, presented Kevin with a painting of the Town Square at Christmas by local artist Pat Jones.

Coun Broughton paid tribute to Kevin for all his efforts over the past five years, helping to put his home town on the national map.

When he took on the Barnoldswick role in 1998 Kevin had no experience whatsoever, but is now acknowledged a one of the elite.