Last updated at 19:49, Thursday, 02 August 2012

A sponsored Viking boat row was held on Derwentwater to try and raise £10,000 to fund a permanent display of Viking coins and ingots in the county.

LONGBOAT: Members of re-enactment group Herlid Viking sail the longboat, Gift of the Gael, on Derwentwater

The replica Viking long boat Gift of the Gael was helmed by John Platt, owner of Platty+ Watersports near Derwentwater.

He was joined by eight members of the Herlid Viking re-enactment group from West Cumbria who were raising funds cash for The Dock Museum in Barrow-in-Furness, which is where the collection will be based.

They rowed about seven miles between the Lodore and Keswick boat landings before carrying out a combat re-enactment.

The Viking hoard of 91 coins, ingots and silver objects, which dates back to the 10th century, was found by a metal detector at Stainton in Cumbria 2011.

The Dock Museum has raised more than £40,000 so far to purchase the display from the Crown so that it can remain in the area.

It is hoped that the display will be opened by October.

Mr Platt said: “We’re very keen that the treasure stays in Cumbria on display.

“We were more than happy to loan the boat and would be more than happy to help again.

“The re-enactment group were sponsored and they collected money in a tin on the day.”

The group are awaiting confirmation of the sum raised.

First published at 19:22, Thursday, 02 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk