AN Exmoor community is searching for somebody to take over the three-year-old tradition of ‘village crier’.

Wootton Courtenay is too small to be able to have a town crier, with a population of 269 in the 2021 Census, so residents decided they would have a village crier instead.

They recruited villager Joe Roake to take on the role when Ruth Walker was helping to organise the village’s celebrations for the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020.

Joe also carried out his duties in 2022 for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Wootton Courtenay.

Noe, Joe has moved to live in Dorset to be closer to family, and a recruitment process has started to find a successor village crier.

Auditions for the post will be held next Wednesday (September 13) with applications required to be submitted to the village stores by noon on Friday (September 8).

Ms Walker said: “We have had a couple of people express an interest already.

“It will be a bit of fun and enjoyment.”

Ms Walker said applicants would need to be able to ‘command a crowd and out shout the wind’, impress with a strong, clear voice, and ring the crier's village bell while reading announcements, Royal proclamations, and declarations

It would also help to have a sense of humour and a good set of lungs, and to like dressing-up.

Auditions next Wednesday start at 6 pm in the garden of the village’s Skye's Bar and residents are being invited to experience the occasion.

Applicants, who must live in Wootton Courtenay, will be provided with the village bell and a tricorne hat and asked to read a Royal proclamation in their own style, beginning with ‘Oyez, Oyez, Oyez’.

The successful villager will be bestowed with the ‘ancient and honourable’ title of ‘Village Crier’.

The new crier will represent Wootton Courtenay and its residents and will be expected to maintain a ‘high standard of appropriate behaviour and courtesy’ at all times during their duties and to act as announcer and/or toastmaster at village events and celebrations.

The position is unpaid and is open to any villager aged 18 years and older.