HELMSLEY’S town crier has received praise for his role in a primetime BBC One production.

David Hinde played the part of Mr Treadgold, a lodger with two pustules on the back of his neck, in the three-part series The ABC Murders, starring John Malkovich as Hercule Poirot.

David said it had been a fantastic experience.

“I have been cast credited by Mammoth Screen for my performances in the three episodes and more importantly praised by the legendary TV screenwriter Sarah Phelps, who tweeted, ‘so nice to meet you and thank you so much for being amazing. You are a legit legend’,” he said.

“I was also referred to in the British Film Institute Press and had a tweet from BBC producer Radley Russell saying –’Keep up the wonderful work’.”

David said make up had taken two to three hours to put on.

“I hadn’t told anyone about this role and was contacted afterwards by friends wanting to check that they really had seen me on their television screens,” he said.

“It’s been a fantastic experience. I hope very much it brings me even more opportunity. It’s something I’m very grateful for.”

This is not the first time David has appeared on the screen. He played the role of the Walmington-on-Sea town crier in the 2016 film version of Dad’s Army when he led the Grand St George’s Day Parade down Bridlington’s Old Town High Street, transformed for the occasion into the fictional south coast town’s High Street.

His latest role didn’t take him outside Yorkshire either - his

participation in all three parts of the TV series were filmed in Ripon.

In addition to his role as official town crier for Helmsley, David is also the official town crier for the Leeds-based The Yorkshire Society and a bass baritone vocalist.