A HISTORY talk about the Vikings’ occupation of Wirral will take place in Weaverham next week.

DNA and the Vikings, organised by the Weaverham History Society, will take place at The University Primary Academy on Tuesday, January 9, from 7pm.

The talk will be held by Stephen Harding, who is a professor of Applied Biology University of Nottingham and a knight of the First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.

Professor Harding was awarded this honour in 2012 in recognition of all his work.

He is noted for the discovery of high levels of Scandanavian genes in the ancestral population of north west England and helped organise the sailing of a Viking Longship from Norway to Wallasey in 2002.

He has also been the Director of Macromolecular Hydrodynamics since its foundation in 1987 and is a member of the Centre of the Study of the Viking Age.

On Tuesday, he will discuss what life was like in Wirral when the Viking settlers first arrived.

A spokesman for the Weaverham History Society said: “At one time Wirral was a mini state with its own language – the old Viking language called Old Norse.

“DNA analysis of samples taken from men from Wirral families has shown that nearly half have the strongest matches with Scandanavians.”

Entry to DNA and the Vikings is £2 for non-members and is free for students.