YORK City Knights have met their namesakes ahead of the third annual Yorkshire Medieval Festival.

Players joined the festival knights for a training exercise in York’s Rowntree Park, in preparation for the Medieval Merriment event which will launch the month-long festival on August 2 and 3.

The knights were put through their paces to ensure that they are able to give their very best effort during the hand-to-hand combat and skirmishes that will take place during the opening weekend.

Festival director, Danielle Daglan said: “Our Medieval Merriment weekend is going to be the biggest event we’ve ever staged as part of the Yorkshire Medieval Festival, and we’re determined to make sure that the knights in combat are better than ever before, so we called on our friends from the York City Knights to put them through their paces."

The combat is just one part of a programme of medieval themed fun at the event, which will see Rowntree Park filled with historic entertainment and activities including medieval minstrels and ‘mummers’, which will join archers and archaeologists, fools and falconers, alongside crafts people, a bouncy castle and lots of have-a-go activities to transform children into knights and princesses.

For more details about other events, or to prebook tickets to some of the key events, please visit www.yorkshire-medieval-festival.com