Is Stanley from Bishop Auckland the UK's tallest snowman?

A County Durham woman has issued a challenge to the nation after she built a 17ft high snowman.

Karen Hindmarch from Etherley Grange, near Bishop Auckland, spent four hours creating Stanley, who has a traffic cone for a nose and plant pots for eyes and buttons.

Mrs Hindmarch built Stanley as a surprise for her 16-month-old granddaughter Kara.

The towering snowman has since become a point of interest in her village.

She said: "I don't know if this is the tallest one in the country but I suppose everyone else will be trying to beat this now.

"We've never stopped laughing about it... it could rival the Angel of the North," she added.