THE Vikings conquered part of the town as hundreds of people enjoyed a festival at Moses Gate Country Park.

With beards, swords and shields, the group showed the public at the Working Woodlands Festival what life used to be like thousands of years ago.

The organisation, called Ydalir (pronounced Youdala), re-enacts the Viking age with exciting, realistic fighting, as well as weaponry, crafts and cooking displays.

One of its members, Loki -- real name Jonathan Wolsey -- said: "The children love the combat -- it is very realistic. The men involved train a lot to make sure it looks good but they don't hurt themselves."

The Manchester-based group visits festivals all over the country and also goes into schools to teach pupils about the Vikings.

Mr Wolsey, aged 23, who joined Ydalir as a student, said: "At first I thought it was excellent fun, but now I love the history of it, too."

As well as watching the fighting, people were also allowed to step inside the group's tent and look at how they made clothes, using spinning and dyeing. There was also a variety of other events at the park in Farnworth yesterday, including a falconry display team, sheepdog demonstrations, the Cawdor Street Samba Band, charcoal making, mask making, face painting and junk sculptures.

The Working Woodlands Festival, now in its seventh year, was organised by Bolton Countryside Service.