SOUTHAMPTON has been left reeling today after it was revealed that the city's historic Bargate could be shipped stone by stone to Norway - and its site turned into a public toilet.

Heritage chiefs had believed that the Bargate - the symbol of Southampton for generations - was built in medieval times.

But new research has revealed that the ancient monument is in fact far older and dates from the Viking period.

Now descendants of Southampton's first Viking colony say they will invoke European human rights legislation to return the Bargate to its "rightful" place - in Norway.

The move has provoked outrage from civic leaders who have vowed to do all in their power to resist the Viking "invasion."

City Council tourism and leisure boss Councillor Peter Wakeford said: "From my point of view, we will be contesting this claim strongly.

"The Bargate is part of Southampton's heritage. I am extremely angry."

The furious deputy leader of Southampton's Conservative Group, Councillor Royston Smith, said: "I am appalled. We should repel these Viking invaders."

Extensive work by the city council's world-renowned archaeological unit has unearthed remains of a Viking temple to the Norse God Apollo Fir under the monument.

Excavations took place after the monument re-opened as a heritage information centre in October last year.

The dig revealed the buried remains of a runestone - a Viking form of writing on a stone tablet - that shows that a Viking invader is interred on the site.

Now a descendant of the Viking band which settled in Southampton is claiming the Bargate as his own property.

Olof Frapi, from the Norwegian town of Polar Foil, says he wants to transport the ancient symbol of the city back home.

Mr Frapi said: "The Bargate is to my country what The Elgin Marbles are to the Greeks. The monument is an important part of our cultural heritage.

"We are demanding the Bargate be brought back along with the remains of my ancestor to Norway."

He added: "I feel sorry for the people of Southampton but this is an important piece of our history. I am sure that if people want to see the Bargate we can arrange for tours to take place at its new site."

Meanwhile, city bosses have been left with a huge headache about how to fill the hole which will be left when The Bargate is transported to its new home in Norway.

One idea being floated by city bosses is for the site to be transformed from Bargate to Bog-gate - a new underground "superloo" which would be decorated with murals of the city's historic sites.

The artwork - which would be paid for through lottery funding - could include paintings of the city's maritime and aviation heritage.

But one site which those spending a penny will not be greeted by is that of the historic monument the loo replaced - Southampton's famous Bargate.