TWENTY-one competitors from as far afield as Australia hope to win a Blackpool contest for crying out loud.

Melbourne and Castlemaine town crier Neville Stonehouse is coming 12,000 miles to add his own brand of XXXX to Blackpool's second annual town crying contest on July 18.

Neville should have a good chance, having once scored "the loudest cry in the world" at 114 decibels - though he says personality is the key to a good cry: "There's no need to yell or scream, you just need a character people can identify with."

Lytham town crier Eddie Bowkett has character by the bucketload.

Eddie is hosting the contest, organised by Blackpool Town Centre Forum as a draw to bring people into the shopping centre.

With their quaint 19th-century-style costumes, lacy jabots, tricorn hats and handbells, the 21 criers will be a colourful spectacle as they parade around the town centre with Blackpool Mayor Henry Mitchell between 10.30 and 11am before the first round in Birley Street.

The finals, at 2pm, are also in Birley Street. Last year's winner, Terry Stubbings of Lincoln, will be here again to defend his title and other contestants are coming from a host of towns between Exeter in the south to Ulverston in the north.

The contest, part of the Loyal Company of Town Criers Championships, is sponsored by Thwaites brewery, the Rose and Crown Bar-Cafe and the Warehouse Cy-bar Cafe.

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