A Chinese former magician is hoping to be crowned the world's shortest man.

Huang Kaiquan, 40, stands just 76cm high, 1.4cm taller than the previous record holder He Pingping, who died in March aged 21.

Heavy smoker Huang is the same height and weight as the average three year old.

He is known in Sanjiang village as "short brother" and still lives at home with his mother.

His mother said: "He didn't grow at all one month after birth. We thought it's just late development and didn't pay enough attention.

"When Huang was three, he still wore the clothes of a one-year-old. It was then we noticed his unusualness."