Left: the Vikings were not only a strong and adventurous civilisation, they were great storytellers.

Anyone who's ever watched Kirk Douglas and co. marauding across the silver screen will know the Vikings were all about great battles and emptying villages of their contents.

But, if you're aged between nine and 16 and know better, the Young Archaeologists' Club needs you to tell the real story and be crowned Young Archaeologist of the Year 2003.

Writers of the best and most historically accurate Viking sagas will be invited on an all expenses paid trip to York where Julian Richards of the BBC's Meet the Ancestors and Blood of the Vikings fame will present the Award.

Right: ...once upon a time, the invasion fleet was prepared. © Jim Masson/Down Democrat.

Lorraine Bathurst, YAC Assistant, told the 24 Hour Museum how the idea behind the competition was to get children to think about their local archaeology and be able to imagine it on a national scale.

“As it is a UK-wide competition, the Vikings is a good one because it incorporates the whole country,” explained Lorraine.

“We've all been invaded by them, so to speak, so we can all bring some personal experience by finding out what happened in our local area.”

Left: straight from the pages of the History of the Earls of Orkney, this marauder is inspiration for any good saga-tellers.

Whether entries are in a comic strip format or on a CD Rom, the emphasis is on accuracy, research, attention to detail and originality, so the winner will certainly have to know their stuff – definitely no helmets with horns please.

Open to anyone aged between nine and 16 living in the British Isles, entries will be judged in two categories, 9-12 and 13-16 with an overall winner from each. The award ceremony will take place over the weekend of October 25-26.

The winner not only gets a free trip to the Viking hotspot of York, but will also receive free YAC membership for a year and a guided tour around the fantastic Jorvik Viking Centre.

Right: Sir Neil Cossons of English Heritage presented Sián Rigby with her Young Archaeologist of the Year 2002 for the 9-11 category award.

A mainstay of the archaeological calendar for 30 years now, the competition has had some memorable entries to throw down the gauntlet to this year's wannabes.

Last year's winners Sián Rigby and Clemency Cooper designed menus fit for a King or Queen and were presented with their awards in Liverpool, before heading off to Norton Priory Museum and Gardens for a feast created from their own winning menus.

The closing date for entries is September 30 and any budding saga-tellers should click on this link to find out how to enter.