A pair of prehistoric skis estimated to be over 1,300 years old have been excavated from an ice patch.

The second of the pair was carefully removed this month, after they were both first discovered at Digervarden Ice Patch in Norway in 2014.

The discovery of the first pre-Viking ski was made by a group of glacial archaeologists, who waited patiently for the ice to melt enough to claim the second one.

They claim is the best-preserved prehistoric pair of skis in the world.

Lars Pilø, co-director of the Secrets Of The Ice program, said: "My colleagues were awestruck.

"I have been hoping and praying for this find to come out of the ice for the last seven years. I couldn't be more happy."

Archaeologist Runar Hole and his tour companion Bjørn Hessen made a field check on September 20 and located the ski just five metres from where the first was found.

It was still firmly rooted in the ice and the two did not have the required equipment to safely remove it, so returned six days later with a larger team and more kit.

By the time the group from the 'Secrets Of The Ice' program had made their way up Mount Digervarden, they found a fresh new layer of snow masked the ski's location.

Using the recorded GPS positions and photo from the previous visit they located the artefact, but it was still deeply lodged in the ice which they had to carefully pick away with an axe.

Once the whole length of the ski was visible, the ice below it was melted by pouring lukewarm water over it that had been heated on their gas cookers.

To their joy, the group from the 'Secrets Of The Ice' program found the second ski to be in even better condition than the first, and found they had identical binding confirming they were a pair.

At 187cm long and 17cm wide, the second ski is 17cm longer and 2cm wider than the first, better preserved because of it was held deeper in the ice.