Sheringham Viking Festival organisers' plans to stage a ceremonial burning of a 16ft longboat on the seashore are back on track, after a trailer thought to have been stolen was returned to them by a resident who read about its disappearance on the North Norfolk News and Eastern Daily Press websites.

Carnival committee member and festival founder Colin Seal said the trailer, which is due to transport the wooden craft to the seafront on the main festival day next Saturday, had been stored behind Splash Leisure and Fitness Centre since the annual event last February.

'After it was hit by a car, someone apparently decided to take it to a scrap yard at Holt,' Mr Seal explained. 'But, thanks to the publicity, they realised what it was and contacted us.'

The resident concerned plans to visit the scrap yard and if the trailer is still in good condition, it will be returned to the team.

'We are really pleased,' Mr Seal said. 'We were convinced it had been stolen, so it is good to know it was down to an honest mistake.'