A stonemason has returned from the Dolomites Snow Festival with third prize.

Pippa Unwin, Aveton Gifford, was part of a Westcountry team alongside Mark Luscombe of Newton Abbot and Patrick Barker from Bristol, who were selected to take part in the International Snow Festival in Italy, in the shadow of the Dolomites mountains, this January.

Pitting their skills against competitors from Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Mongolia and Belarus, Pippa and her team designed and carved two sculptures, ‘Dancing Bears’ and ‘Snow Carvers snow carving Snow Carvers’.

When the final evening and prize giving came around, Pippa and her team took home the third prize for their ‘Snow Carvers snow carving Snow Carvers’ and were one point off taking third prize for ‘Dancing Bears’.

Pippa said: “Everyone was really friendly and helpful to each other; no-one was particularly competitive and we have made some good friends.”?The teams were given a 3m x 3m x 3m block of fresh snow from the surrounding areas, pressed together, to complete each of their sculptures.

Pippa continued: “The blocks were scattered through the village and we were lucky to get a block at the bottom of the ski slope, so we had lots of people around to watch us work.

“While we were there, we enjoyed the most delicious food, and the local tourist office laid on a wine tasting evening and a visit to a local museum. We also tried night sledging - hurtling down a wiggly trail through the woods on metal traditional-style sledges with only a head torch to light our way - very exciting!

“It was great to start the year with such a fun project and we are already planning which festivals we might apply for next year.”

When Pippa isn’t creating snowy masterpieces, she is sculpting with more traditional materials. You can find out more on her website: www.mewstonemasonry.com