The 15th Jorvik Viking Festival, or Jolablot, was declared a "huge success" by organisers, who said city hoteliers had reported there were no rooms to be had on Saturday night.

Nordic fighters armed with swords and battleaxes took to the streets, while Viking longships cruised on the River Ouse.

The four days of the festival were packed with living history, parades through the city centre and battles in Museum Gardens.

Janet Baverstock, marketing manager for the organisers, the Jorvik Viking Centre, said: "There was some speculation that the Viking Festival would not be the same - or draw the same kinds of crowds - without the boat burning on Saturday evening.

"However, we are delighted to report that both residents and visitors from outside the York area voted with their feet.

"Our Saturday combat in Museum Gardens drew bigger crowds than ever before, and the Before Bloodaxe event in the evening saw both Parliament Street and St Sampson's Square crowded with people who just could not get enough of our Viking celebrations."

On Saturday King's Staith was packed with people watching longships gliding along the river, and Skeldergate Bridge and Ouse Bridge pavements were full of people craning to catch a glimpse of the ships.

Norwegian and French Viking teams rowed the ships up and down the river to the cheers of the crowds.

Meanwhile, in Parliament Street, children were given lessons on how to be a Viking from Erik Bloodaxe (Graham Turner), and Njal (Nigel Simms).

As darkness fell the usual fiery boat on the Ouse was replaced with a fire eater - Albert Alchemy - in Parliament Street.

Next to him was a living history display of a Viking encampment, and a comedy show from the Dark Ages in which an intrepid seafarer, complete with horned helmet, made his way to old Jorvik.

At the other end of the street there was another historical enactment, with three storytellers telling how the Nordic hordes invaded England and left their mark on the land - particularly the place they called Jorvik.

The tale of ancient kings and conquests was brought to life by costumed warriors and their women, illuminated by electric lights.

The festival was brought to a close yesterday with a final battle in Museum Gardens.

Despite this year's success the festival's organisers pleaded for more of those who benefit from the hordes of visitors to contribute to its running, so it could be bigger and better still. They said it might even lead to the return of the boat burning - scrapped this year for safety reasons - as part of an extended programme.