LOCK up your wives and daughters - the Vikings are in town.

The annual Jorvik Viking Festival kicks off today, giving the modern-day inhabitants of York a chance to experience all the excitement and terror of the city's Norse past.

More than 100 events have been packed into the five-day festival, ending on Sunday.

Emma Hunt, marketing manager at the Jorvik Viking Centre, said: "York is going to be inundated with hundreds of Vikings from all over the world, who come to celebrate all things Viking, including York's heritage.

"York was a very important place in Viking times.

"We're celebrating a true winter festival that would have taken place around now, called Jolablot, which marks the coming of spring and the end of the dark winter nights.

"And we have an absolutely fun-packed programme this year."

Today's events begin in the city centre at 10am, with special activity sessions at DIG, at St Saviour's Church, in St Saviourgate.

Families will be able to experience Viking life at first hand, with various craft activities and storytelling sessions.

There will be a chance to meet Nordic warriors and maidens in Coppergate.

Highlights of the festival, which is expected to bring more than 40,000 people to York, include the Battle Spectacular, in the Museum Gardens, on Saturday, from 1.45pm.

Warriors will march to Coppergate, via Parliament Street, and then on to the Norwich Union Yorkshire Wheel, where the warring factions will fight it out to the death.

Terry Jones, history enthusiast and former member of the Monty Python team, will be in York on Friday for a special showing of his children's film, Erik The Viking.

A new cut of the film, produced by Terry and his son, Bill, will be shown at City Screen, at 9pm.

There will be Viking food and drink on offer at the ticketed event - and a few Norsemen.

You can explore the treats on offer at the festival at www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk.

Mrs Hunt said the most popular events were likely to become fully-booked, so pre-booking is advised.

You can do so by phoning 01904 543402.