HER angelic voice was music to the ears of millions who watched Pop Idol, the TV talent contest that gripped the nation.

His snarling voice will greet visitors to a new display at one of the region's tourist attractions, which was unveiled yesterday.

Their training may have come from the same place, but singing star Zoe Birkett and actor Greig Hart will be putting their talents to different uses.

Mr Hart, of Stockton, Teesside, donned full Viking gear and wielded a battleaxe as he assumed the role of Ragner to help launch the £50,000 Gorvik show, at The York Dungeon.

His voice trainer was Paula Daye, of the Stagecoach theatre school, who also coached teenager Zoe, of Darlington, before she hit the big time by reaching the finals of the talent show.

"Paula taught me to sing, but I don't think I am quite like Zoe and I can't see myself being on Pop Idol at any time," said Mr Hart.

He will be taking visitors through the new show, which opens with scores of billowing Viking sails. Visitors then move to a ransacked monastery.

Mr Hart said: "My job is to paint a graphic picture of the true scale of slaughter and mayhem."

The dungeon has also used animatronics and special effects to bring Erik Bloodaxe, the most fearsome Viking of all, back to life.

Dungeon boss Helen Douglas said: "Even though the catalogue of horrors at the dungeon ranges from medieval torture to the Black Death, Gorvik is undoubtedly the most terrifying show we have ever had."

Since it opened more than a decade ago, York Dungeon has become one of the city's leading tourist attractions.

The museum brings more than 2,000 years of history back to life . . . and death.

It has sister attractions in London, Edinburgh and Germany.