Vikings who invaded the northern shores of Britain 1,000 years ago may have left more than reminders of Scandinavian culture, scientists revealed last night.
The raping and pillaging norsemen are thought to have planted faulty cancer genes in the population that could still be killing women today.
Researchers discovered a distinct pattern of genetic faults in women from Scotland and Northern Ireland with inherited breast and ovarian cancers.
The mutations meant these women had a different legacy of inherited cancers from their sisters in England and Wales.
One fault, especially common in Aberdeen and Dundee, may have been brought to Britain by the Vikings or Scandinavian fishermen, said the scientists.
Professor Mike Steel, of the University of St Andrews, and other scientists from Scotland and Northern Ireland tracked down families with inherited breast and ovarian cancers who had visited genetic clinics in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Belfast.
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