LEDBURY Town Crier, Bill "The Bell" Turberfield really knows his onions when it comes to making public announcements, so much so he's been asked to open the Newent Onion Fayre.

It will be the second time only that Mr Turberfield has crossed the border into Gloucestershire to launch the popular annual event, and the first time he has been asked to do it solo.

On the first occasion, in 2002, he partnered Newent's own celebrated town crier, Willium Chapman, who died in 2007, aged 87.

Newent, at present, has no town crier of its own, and Mr Turberfield will lead the procession to the town centre, before ringing his bell on the big stage by Newent Market House, on Saturday, September 13, at around 9.30am.

The Onion Fayre, which includes an infamous public onion eating competition, annually attracts crowds of more than 10,000 people.

But while Mr Turberfield said it will be "a great honour" to open the Fayre, he will be not be looking over the border at extra duties.

He said: "I want to be one official crier for one town, and that's Ledbury."