WITH an inherited cloak that was falling to pieces and too small for her 18 stone frame, Ros Chard from Hatherleigh was once the scruffiest town crier in Devon — but not any more.

Thanks to a community effort led by Hatherleigh Rotary Club, the Hatherleigh Town Crier is now dressed to impress in six yards of green velvet with red and gold trim — even her terrier dog has matching regalia, earning her the nickname 'Millie the Magnificent'.

After seeing Ros turn up underdressed at the Holsworthy Pretty Maid Ceremony last year, with her faded hat, cut off trousers and old policeman's cape, Holsworthy Rotary Club took on the campaign for the 'Crier's New Clothes'.

Rotarian Philip Pyle said her image was not good for the town.

He said: 'We certainly had the loudest town crier in the area, but also the scruffiest and that's a title we did not want.

'Ros was desperate to raise funds for a new outfit, so we helped her on her way and the new clothes are quite marvellous — she looks like something out of Charles Dickens.'

Once news of the fundraising spread, donations came pouring in, including those from Hatherleigh Church, the Walruses, Swanners, the town's pubs and Gordon Vick and Partners and fundraising quizzes and other events were held to find the £900 needed.

The contract to measure Ros and make the uniform was awarded locally to Mary Holland, who owns an upholstery shop in the town.

Just 65 hours later, the cloak and waistcoat were complete.

With Mrs Holland's assistant Sharon Cockwill, a former seamstress for Jaegar, the outfit was in safe hands but even she had never been asked to make clothing for a dog before!

Ros said Millie went pretty much everywhere with her, so it was right she should match in.

She said: 'I had done some research into the Ancient Honourable Guild of Town Criers and had taken lots of pictures at town crier competitions, so I had a good idea of what the new clothes should look like.

'There was no way I could carry on in my old kit, because at the end of the day, I am representing the town.

'I am so chuffed with the new kit and the first time I wore it was on the day of the Queen Mother's funeral, which was very poignant.'