TOWN criers from across the world will compete in a battle of the bellows in Chester later this month.

The international town criers tournament takes place in the city from August 20-23. 

There are 24 competitors, with entries from England, Ireland, Wales Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Channel Islands and America. It will be the fourth time the city has hosted this event.

Chester's own crier, David Mitchell, said: "Chester has earned an excellent reputation for putting on a well-organised competition and our historic city provides the perfect backdrop for such an event.

"Some criers have applied to return for the fourth time, so we must be getting something right."

The competitors include seven past or present national champions, and five past or present world champions, including the reigning Chester World Champion, Chris Whyman of Kingston, Canada.

The Tournament will take place over three rounds.

On Wednesday August 20, at 12 noon, they will assemble in Town Hall Square to compete in the Coach House World Town Crier Tournament.

In this cry the competitors are required deliver a Hometown Cry, extolling the virtues of their hometown and inviting the hearers to come and see it for themselves. Thwaites’ famous shire horses and dray will be in attendance.

At midday the following day they will return to Town Hall Square to lay the law down. Competitors will be invited to adopt a stance from history and to remind listeners of matters of law and order that applied in our more colourful past including the stocks, pillory, ducking stool and scold’s bridle.

The final round takes place at 12 noon on Saturday, August 23, in Abbey Square. The brief on this occasion is to answer the question, ‘What I would like to do with my Land Rover’.

The criers will be in Chester for a week, and will take part in activities other than just the competitions.

After the competition on Thursday afternoon the criers will also be shouting from an unusually high vantage point.

Chester Cathedral is supplying staging for the competition and, by way of thanks, the criers will climb the cathedral tower literally to shout from the rooftops news of this spectacular new attraction, Cathedral at Height.

Full details about the event can be found on www.chestertowncriers.com