TONY Evans, Town Crier for Nailsworth, Minchinhampton and Leves attended the Town Crier World Championship in Australia in 2005. Here he recalls the highlights of his tonsil-straining visit.

WE left home on October 3 and some 38 hours later booked into our Brisbane hotel, where we spent a few days before taking the tilt train through bush country to Maryborough, Queensland.

A welcoming party met us with other criers at the station.

We were whisked off to a school to get into our outfits and to meet children who writing cries about their town.

We were treated to tea and a special cake had been made.

In return we gave them a preview of our tradition and the art of town crying.

This was the start of a very heavy and busy schedule, after introductions, we were taken to our accommodation and that evening I gave a talk to the Rotary Club.

The following day I met mayors and officials before an evening reception at the town hall, where I presented the Mayor of Maryborough with letters and gifts from Nailsworth, Minchinhampton, Leves and Stroud District Council.

The draw was also carried out for the order in which the criers would perform.

Maryborough has much remaining of its Victorian past.

Many buildings remain as a reminder of the time when convicts from England settled - Maryborough being one of the main ports of entry.

It is proud of its heritage and was the home of the author of Mary Poppins. Carmen Murdoch is now called Mary Heritage/Mary Poppins, and is also an escort to their town crier Reg Lade.

She also conducts tours as the town guide and dresses appropriately either as Mary Heritage or Mary Poppins complete with bag and stick.

The three cries we had to perform were:

1 Our hometown cry 2 One about Maryborough and its heritage 3 A cry of our choice

All three had to be different ones.

I officially opened the championships crying The Charter to allow Maryborough to hold the world championships along with a letter from our

Prime Minister which David Drew got for me.

We had a day off between each day's contests and on these days we visited other towns.

Each evening at the town hall there was a different theme night like a beach night for which we were told we should wear thongs!

I was extremely pleased to find out that in Australia these are actually beach sandals - what a relief.

Finally the presentation night.

The winner and new world champion was Hans Van Laethem, from Belgium, and I was pleased to put the champion chain around his neck. A worthy winner, he will hold the title for two years.

Then it was back on the train and plane to Melbourne and by coach up through the State of Victoria to the towns of Echuca and Moama on the banks of the Murray River.

There was then another 10 days of visits and contests.

The aggregate scores of the top three criers from each country to count, at the presentation ceremony, I was proud to receive the trophy as English team captain and thus retain the trophy.

The top three English criers were Phil Street (Lyme Regis) Bob Needham (Colchester) and yes, yours truly Tony Evans. Phil also won the overall winner of the three days contests, with the new World Champion Hans, a close second.

The highlights of the trips were meeting people, making new friends, meeting old friends and seeing the rain forests.

I also met aborigines, got to see the wildlife and fauna and enjoyed a trip on a paddle steamer.

I returned home pleased to back in England, tired but with wonderful memories.