Students from the University of York, England, have recorded the voices for a set of new animatronic Viking characters that will appear in the city next spring.

Under the guidance of Matthew Townend, an expert in Viking language and literature at the university, a team of 12 MA and PhD students from the Centre for Mediaeval Studies has recorded the Viking voices in Old Norse for the new Jorvik Viking Centre exhibition.

The seven new animatronics are part of a £1 million investment in the Viking Centre, which is run by York Archaeological Trust.

There will also be a new under floor interpretation of the original Coppergate excavations on which the centre was built 25 years ago. Work on the redevelopment is due to start in November and should be completed by February 2010.

Fernando Guerrero, Russell Comrie and Filip Missuno were among the 12 students from the Centre for Mediaeval Studies who became Sigurd the antler worker, Unni the woodworker, builders, an arguing couple and a man on the toilet.

All of the new figures and dialogue are based on archaeological evidence from York Archaeological Trust's Coppergate dig, and will be brought to life in the US later this year using animatronic technology.

Sarah Maltby, director of attractions at York Archaeological Trust, said: "We're very excited to be using this state-of-the-art animatronic technology to create some new and incredibly lifelike characters that will bring visitors face to face with some very convincing Vikings! "The redevelopment aims to recapture the excitement of the excavation that caught the imagination of the public worldwide, and to make a real impact on the heritage world, as well as the tourism industry, by bringing the Viking Age to an even broader audience."

The trust is also looking for a new narrator for the Jorvik capsule ride. The successful candidate will take over from TV historian, Michael Wood, who is currently guiding visitors around the reconstructed Viking-age city.

Ms Maltby added: "It's not an easy job. The new narrator will have to converse with the new animatronics in Old Norse and act as translator for the visitors, just in case they don't speak the language of the Vikings!"

York Archaeological Trust is an independent charity that runs Jorvik, Dig and Barley Hall in York. For more information go to www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk.