Video: Vikings invade York stag and hen party

When Jonathan Alderson and Samantha Simpson chose to have a joint stag and hen night, they knew exactly what to do.

Take some friends to their favourite bar in York for a quiet evening of food, drink and fun.

It didn’t quite go to plan. Because their night was invaded by rampaging Vikings…

Gatecrash the party

Sam and Jono are big fans of all things Viking, and go to the Jorvik festival most years.

And it was during the Viking feast on Valentine’s Day at the 2015 festival that Jono went down on one knee and proposed – and Sam said yes.

Two years later they are preparing for married life.

And their friends arranged a special surprise at their sten – or stag and hen – night in Pairings wine bar on Castlegate.

Two Vikings, Thraine and Ragnor, aka Kev Cockayne and Nathan Wade from York Archeological Trust, had agreed to gatecrash the party and surprise the couple.

Passed the tests

Just as they did at the original proposal, the Norsemen challenged Jono to a series of tests to prove he was worthy of Sam’s hand in marriage.

There were physical challenges, competitive boasting and a skills test – in which Jono did a mean impersonation of Richard O’Brien in the days when he hosted The Crystal Maze.

All the tasks completed, the Vikings they declared him fit to marry Sam. “This makes me king of York, right?” said Jono.

“I get keys to the city, I get to parade sheep through the streets, all of that I assume…”

Their wedding is at Middletons Hotel on Skeldergate next weekend.

“It’s going to be very relaxed, quiet and civilised, as a counterpoint to the combat we’ve had today,” said Jono.

We wouldn’t bet on it…