IN PICTURES: Saturday's dramatic Viking battle at the Eye of York

The areas of grass surrounded by Clifford’s Tower, the crown court and the Castle Museum became an arena for a dramatic re-enactment played out under floodlights.

Dramatic music throbbed, and a narrator on a central raised dais set the scene as the Viking armies gathered just before 7pm.

Spectators ringed the Eye of York to watch the battle (Image: Stephen Lewis)

Then, with a dramatic yell, they charged and clashed, shield all against shield wall.

Bodies littered the ground as the armies fought, pulled back, then fought again.

Earlier, one Viking army had attacked an Anglo-sSaxon camp, and made off with captives who were condemned to a life of slavery.

This evening ‘s dramatic re-enactment came at the end of a day which had seen a ‘strongest Viking’ cometition, a Viking horde marching through the centre of York to Coppergate, and a series of earlier skirmishes at the Eye of York.

The final battle ended with a ritual boat burning to send slain warriors off to Valhalla – though in fact flame cannons were used to simulate a burning boat.

The two armies eye each-other warily during a lull in the fighting (Image: Stephen Lewis)