BRIDPORT'S town crier was left speechless when a policeman told him off - for shouting in the street!

"That's what I'm supposed to do," a bemused John Morey told the young community support officer after making a proclamation in Dorchester on Saturday.

The colourful crier had been asked to tour the town in his full regalia to promote the local RSPCA charity shop - with the full approval of the town council.

"I was doing my cry by Marks and Spencer when I noticed the young community policeman," he said.

"He asked me if I could make less noise as there were other shops around, which completely amazed me.

"I told him it was a town crier's job to make a noise. He was only about 21 and it could be he had never seen a town crier before - Dorchester doesn't have one of its own.

"Or maybe he thought I was some sort of Halloween thing."

Whatever the reason Mr Morey reckons the officer may be expecting too sheltered a life on the beat.

"Perhaps this young man would be more suitably employed as a library assistant owing to his apparent aversion to noise," he said.

The News contacted the police for a comment on Tuesday but by yesterday there was still no response.

The officer, it appeared, had taken his own advice and was keeping quiet.