An exhibit from the original Jorvik Viking Centre is to be auctioned off in aid of our hospice appeal.

Since the museum shut its doors for a £5 million refit last year, it has been swamped with requests for items from the world-famous Viking settlement.

Many are being auctioned off to coincide with next month's exciting Jolablot Viking festival between February 17 and 25 with the proceeds going towards the refit.

But the museum is in the process of picking out an appropriate part of the original exhibition which it will generously donate to our appeal.

Meanwhile, it is time to batten down the hatches and lock up your daughters as preparations are geared up for this year's Jolablot Festival.

As the launch of the refurbished Jorvik, draws near, its tenth century inhabitants will seize the city on February 17 for a day of pageantry, bloodlust and heroism.

A Viking style soap opera will unfold before the eyes of those who gather in Coppergate, with Viking king Erik Bloodaxe opening a royal wedding celebration. Background whispers, however, betray an atmosphere of unrest and in the afternoon hundreds of Viking troops will parade through the city, ending at the Eye of York where they will take on Saxon hordes for a fierce battle.

In the evening, a special ticket-only event will use Clifford's Tower as a dramatic backdrop for Erik Bloodaxe's final battle which sets the scene for the new Jorvik, which has moved on a generation from 948AD to 975AD.

Viking Centre spokeswoman Nicola Bexon, said: "Jorvik is very successful as a trading settlement. It expanded so much that it couldn't expand out any further and had to go up so we're seeing two- and three-storey buildings."

King Erik Bloodaxe has given way to the boy king Edward and visitors to the museum will be shown a vista of his city from above in flying time capsules.

Other festival events include a procession on February 16 including children from five schools in the area and a week-and-a-half of workshops involving 300 children.

There will be a two-day living history display, saga-telling, fun archaeological lectures and riotous Viking feasting.

More details can be found in the festival programme available from the Jorvik Viking Centre, telephone 01904 543404.

Updated: 10:49 Thursday, January 18, 2001