A CURIOUS little procession attracted some interest as it wended its way up through Crediton High Street last Saturday morning (July 21), shoppers dodging the man with a placard at its head.

He was followed by the Town Crier in his billowing robes and tricorn hat, the tall Lord Lieutenant of Devon in his dark suit, the Mayor of Crediton but without his chain of office, two newspaper photographers and a small group of people.

Before they left the town square and the regular twice-monthly Saturday morning Farmers’ Market, the Town Crier, Kevin Payne, explained the whole outing.

Having rung his bell he said this was all about celebrating the second anniversary of the creation of the Redvers Ramble, a chance to "oil those creaking joints" and enhance the health and well-being of body and mind.

Crediton Town Council has published a leaflet detailing the route of the Ramble plus other walks around the town and it was all of this that was being celebrated with the walk through the town, distributing the leaflets and to show the Lord Lieutenant of Devon the new display board listing the town walks now on the wall at the bottom of St Saviour’s Way.

The Lord Lieutenant, David Fursdon who lives near Cadbury, commented that this was in keeping with the move to get people more active, to get out and about more and where better than Crediton with its network of footpaths for all abilities.

The Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Frank Letch, explained how the Ramble and walks leaflet had been the idea of former town councillor Heather Sansom.

Leading the procession and holding the large placard to advertise the Ramble was the chairman of the town council’s footpaths committee, Cllr Mike Szabo who said the committee had worked with Devon County Council and the volunteers who maintain the footpaths to keep them clear.

Having Kevin as its Town Crier could make Crediton unique or at least very unusual in that his father is also a town crier. He is in Bungay in Suffolk.