Life-sized ballerina at Birmingham Cake International exhibition

Emma Morris created a life-sized model of Swan Lake's Odette using Rice Krispies

A life-size ballerina with one leg elegantly raised has formed the centrepiece of a major cake exhibition.

The model of Swan Lake's Odette is one of hundreds of creations at this year's Cake International display in Birmingham.

The scene was created over four days by Emma Morris, who runs a cake business in Aberdare near Cardiff.

The show is billed by organisers as the UK's biggest, with up to 30,000 visitors expected.

It is the third time Ms Morris has exhibited at the event and said transporting the 5ft 4ins ballerina proved the biggest challenge.

Christine and Phil Jenson designed a Wallace and Gromit-inspired cake

"It was a nightmare," the 46-year-old said.

"We hired this van with a special lift because it's so heavy.

"But, when we arrived part of the leg had been damaged so we had to repair it. I had to reapply fondant on its legs."

The ballerina is made of Rice Krispies rather than cake, she said, in order to preserve the creation.

She still has a 4ft Avatar she created for last year's exhibition in her living room.

Another cake was styled on Enid Blyton's The Magic Faraway Tree

Lara Mason made a cake based on Gene Wilder in the film version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Other highlights of this year's show include a scene from Enid Blyton's The Magic Faraway Tree and a Wallace and Gromit-inspired cake, designed by Christine and Phil Jenson, of Peboryon, Cornwall.

And, Lara Mason, 30, from Brownhills near Walsall, took four weeks to make her cake showing Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

It is the fourth time the customer service adviser has taken part in the exhibition.

"It is so addictive," she said.

"I don't know what it is. Everyone starts throwing ideas around. It's such a buzz to be involved."

Another Roald Dahl-inspired creation in cake form was the late author's BFG character

She added: "I chose Gene Wilder because it would have been Roald Dahl's 100th birthday this year so it was a bit of a nod to that."

Organiser Melanie Underwood, the editor of Cake International magazine, said people travelled from across the country to display their creations.

"The standard this year is amazing," she said.

"There are some really incredible pieces."