HEAR ye, hear ye, was the cry from St George as he made his way down Regent Street on Sunday afternoon.

Dressed in all his finery with sword and shield in hand, he bellowed greetings to shoppers as he passed by at the head of the St George’s Day Festival parade.

The colourful procession that followed was led by the Mayor of Swindon, Eric Shaw, and the chief executive of the inSwindon town centre management company Di Powell.

Providing the music was the Britannia Majorettes’ band who were taking part alongside the pompom twirling minniettes.

Of course, no St George’s Day parade would be complete without a dragon, conquered in this case by a dashing damsel riding atop it through the town.

The parade also featured a number of children who had spent the morning making their own shields in the Central Library’s ‘craft zone'.

Mandy Spellman, whose six-year-old daughter Ella walked along with the parade, said: “It’s a nice way for them to take part even if they’re not with a group.

"She’s just happy walking behind the music — she thinks it’s great fun.”

June Stewart, who at 62 decided to watch the majorettes from the sidelines, said: “It’s lovely to see everyone out in the town for a change. And we’ve been so lucky with the weather too. It’s nice to see something different sometimes.”

The parade passed through Havelock Square and round into Wharf Green where crowds of people were being entertained by live music acts from across the town.

A face painting stall was offering free makeovers for all the kids and larger than life characters, including knights on stilts and the incredible hulk, were posing for pictures and keeping the crowds entertained.

On stage, Swindon’s own court jester was telling jokes (at least that is what he called them) and performing magic tricks between performances.

But the showpiece of the day and the part everyone was waiting for was the second annual Best of Swindon talent competition. A panel of judges, including Di Powell, Mayor Eric Shaw, Miss Tourism UK, and last year’s winner Phoebe Maddison, looked on as eight talented acts took to the stage.

Among them were singers, dancers, duets and solo acts. The winning act would walk away with a guaranteed spot on the line up at this year’s Christmas lights switch-on party. All eight impressed, but they couldn’t all win.

Taking third place was singing duo Kody Bowler and Reanna Nolan. In second place was Sophie Simpkins who belted out a ballad and hit every note.

But the judges decided not to pick a singer but to go for a dancer instead. Irish dancing to be precise, perhaps an ironic choice on St George’s Day but 10-year-old Masie Long from Wichelstowe jigged her way around the stage in such style that the judges were left with little choice but to award her the top spot.

Masie has only been dancing for a year. She takes classes once a week and practices even more at home.

Now she is looking forward to returning to the Wharf Green stage in December for the turning on of the Christmas lights.