The 2017 Jorvik Viking Festival has come to a spectacular conclusion.

The photos above, by Richard Doughty and Anthony Chappel-Ross, capture the last day and the stunning finale at the Eye of York.

Armies of warriors and spectators celebrated the end of the annual festival with fire, battle and long beards.

Organisers believe that the week-long extravaganza of all matters Viking exceeded last year's festival when an estimated 53,000 visitors flocked to York and say all Viking-themed activities this year sold out as did many of the talks and workshops. 

"The Norse warriors were welcomed back to the city with every bit of warmth and enthusiasm that we could hope for,” said festival co-ordinator, Nicola Harkess. 

“The crowds lining the streets for the March to Coppergate were amazing – it certainly felt like there were more people cheering them on than we’ve ever had before." 

The grand finale began with Eric the Bloodaxe's army parading from Deans Park via Stonegate to the Eye of York where they engaged in a daytime skirmish before an evening battle followed by a firelit ceremony with a wicker stag, fire throwers and fireworks. 

Inbetween the fighting, spectators competed for the title of Best Beard and queued to get into the 10th century traders' tents on Parliament Street and St Sampson's Square, while the warrior re-enactors caught their breath, popped into the local takeaways for 21st century food or joined the queue for Viking burgers. 

One warrior had an unplanned trip to York Hospital for repairs when he suffered a minor injury in the daytime skirmish.