ROS Chard from Hatherleigh is losing her voice ? after being proclaimed the loudest female crier in the world it is hardly surprising. Hatherleigh?s Town Crier also recorded the second loudest cry overall in the competition which saw 70 criers from all over the world battle it out in Queensland, Australia. A week of cries about her home town and host town has left Ros quieter than usual and the extent of her achievement is yet to sink in. ?I cannot believe it,? said the Hatherleigh town crier of five years. ?I am just gobsmacked. The whole experience was fantastic. I am just amazed that I did so well.? A seasoned competitor, Ros travelled overseas for the first time last year when she competed in the European town crier championships in Belgium. The residents of Hatherleigh helped fund the trip to Australia when Ros realised that her car boot sales and bric-a-brac stall in Hatherleigh Market would not make anything like the amount of money she needed to take part. ?I had a lot of donations from people in and around Hatherleigh for which I am very grateful.? ?It is wonderful to take part because its fantastic to promote your town,? she said. Ros says she loves dressing up in all the regalia and meeting people: ?Being a member of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers is like having an extended family. Town criers are really supportive of each other.? A decibel metre was present all through the competition in Maryborough with town criers judged on volume, sustained volume, clarity, diction, airing and content of cry. The town crier?s only regret was that Millie her dog, who accompanies her on all engagements, was not present. ?It would have been too much for her with the travelling and quarantine and everything,? said Ros. ?Just about everyone in Hatherleigh has looked after Millie while I was away and I think she has had more exercise and goodies than she has at home.?
