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Huge chocolate statues spring up in Belgium

A chocolate sculpture of an elephant is seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

DURBUY, Belgium (Reuters) - It sounds like a chocoholic's dreamland - giant sculptures of elephants and flamingos all crafted from Belgian chocolate.

The animal creations, up to 3 meters tall, are the centerpiece of an exhibition in Belgium of around 50 chocolate pieces by 40 international artists.

The ChocoPalace festival, in the small city of Durbuy, southeast of Brussels, also features a chocolate river and stalls selling macaroons and boozy chocolate drinks.

Chocolate sculptures of rabbits are seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

The festival has already attracted more than 30,000 visitors and is set to draw in plenty more over the Easter holidays until it closes on April 8.

Durbuy, with a population of around 10,000, light-heartedly bills itself as "the smallest city in the world", and attracts sightseers from nearby Brussels and Luxembourg.

"The idea was to bring the biggest chocolate sculpture festival in the world to the smallest city in the world," said Laura Trommelen, from PLG, the advertising group that has organised the festival.

A visitor looks at a chocolate sculpture of a gorilla during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

(Reporting by Natalie Rice; Writing by Samantha Koester; Editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek and Alison Williams)

A chocolate sculpture of a gorilla is seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
A chocolate sculpture of a gorilla is seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
A chocolate sculpture of a koala is seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
A chocolate sculpture of an eagle is seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
A chocolate sculpture of a lion is seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
A chocolate sculpture of a Brown bear is seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
A young visitor looks at a chocolate sculpture of flamingos during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
A chocolate sculpture of a lion and its cubs are seen during the chocolate sculpture festival in Durbuy, Belgium March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
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