ASPIRING town criers in Royal Wootton Bassett saw their winning entries put on display at a prizegiving ceremony on Saturday.

The winning youngsters saw their cries announcing various events mounted on scrolls in the Borough Fields Library, and the two top cry-writers were presented with their cry on a scroll in a presentation box.

The children were challenged to write a cry after visiting the town crier exhibition last October, based on a real or imaginary event.

The winner in the seven-and-under category was seven-year-old Nesta Wade, who wrote a cry about a new flu vaccine for all children by order of the Queen.

The winner in the eight to 11 category was eight-year-old Amber Reeves, who wrote about a spectacular ninth birthday celebration featuring a high wire walk.

Nine other youngsters were hugely commended for their town cry, including eight-year-old Izzie Homer, nine-year-old Rebecca Comley, nine-year-old Hollie Bell, Reuben Marchment, six-year-old Kieran Paget, seven-year-old Sophie Lucas, six-year-old Chloe Lewis and seven-year-old Tom Gahan.

Mayor Linda Frost, who was part of the team which judged the cries, was very impressed with the calibre of entries in the competition, and hopes to hold more competitions in future.

She said: “The competition went very well.

“We were very impressed with the number of entries and the quality of the cries was absolutely incredible. If they could all be winners they would have been.

“If the enthusiasm is there to do it again then of course we will.”