AN ice sculptured snowman is keeping shoppers guessing during a competition.

The 3ft statue, designed especially for the Hillstreet shopping centre, will be centre attraction as visitors try and predict the time of his demise.

TFM radio's Antony and Emma launched the competition on Saturday at the Middlesbrough centre.

Shoppers will complete an entry form, free of charge, and guess the time and date when the snowman will completely melt.

The person who makes the closest guess to the time it takes to melt will win more than £100 worth of goodies courtesy of hair and beauty salon, Loren St Klair. Fifteen runners up will each win a dvd of The Snowman.

Barry Purnell, operations manager at the centre, said: "The competition is being captured on camera so we can get an exact time no matter what time of the day he melts."

The competition in being held in Hillstreet's Centre Square, outside Woolworths.

The melting man is part of the centre's month of festive entertainment, aimed at taking the stress out of Christmas shopping.

Along with the ice competition, the centre is offering shoppers a present a day in its 12 Days of Christmas giveaway, which starts on December 13.