Durham's first official city crier faced some tough opposition from unexpected quarters when Northern Echo reporter Gavin Engelbrecht threw his hat into the ring for the job.

Having once worked as a megaphone man on the streets of Dublin, he felt he may have had a measure of experience for the job.

But there was a little more required for the job than a large pair of lungs and the ability to shout "bargains galore".

With a small dose of stage fright, Gavin gave it his best shot from the town hall balcony.

The wait for the judges was interminable. It was a close call by all accounts.

David Mitchell, secretary of the Loyal Company of Town Criers, told him: "If you hadn't been a spoof candidate you would have been a serious contender."

David had travelled from Chester, where he is town crier, to judge the event.

He said: "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."

Reporter Gavin said: "That did go some way to nursing my pride, but not my sore throat, which needed a good rest afterward."