FRESH from his latest competition success, the loudest man in Oxford has finally been recognised as the city’s official town crier.

Anthony Church, 58, from Cowley, spends his days bellowing out announcements from Carfax and guiding tourists around the city.

His combination of lung capacity and artistic flair has already earned him the ceremonial role in Wallingford, Chipping Norton, Thame and Banbury.

Now he can add the Oxford job to his CV, after Oxford City Council agreed to make him the first official town crier for a century.

The dad-of-one said: “I’ve been trying to become the official crier for the city of Oxford for 10 or 12 years, and the new Lord Mayor has taken it a bit more on board.

“It is good for the tourists because it is traditional, and the Americans love it.

“When I am stood at Carfax, I can get photographed 300 times in a day by tourists. People come up and ask what a town crier does and where the tradition starts from.

“It is a great job. I meet lots of nice people and, as a traditionalist and a royalist, I like to put that message across.”

Mr Church found the role by accident 21 years ago, when he was asked to step in to help Gloucester’s crier while working as a toastmaster.

Last week he won the Blackpool Town Criers Championship and says he is now ranked fourth in the UK and ninth worldwide for his take on the profession’s international “Oyez, oyez, oyez” catchphrase.

Lord Mayor Elise Benjamin said: “There is no one else likely to come forwards to become town crier, so it seemed to make sense if Anthony was given the official title. I think he is fantastic for Oxford.

“It is something quite special and, for a historical place like Oxford, it makes sense to have a town crier.”

In the days before the Oxford Mail, town criers were the original reporters – spreading the news from court to the people. They were protected by law as the King’s messengers, and an attack on a town crier for his messages was a treasonable offence.