IT might not be happily ever after for Snow White and these seven dwarfs, after their creator has given them one week to live.

Melville King, 79, spent two-and-a-half years creating the life-size Disney characters out of papier mache.

As we reported on Monday, he used hundreds of copies of the Oxford Mail and spent rainy nights building and painting the masterpiece.

But he has been unable to find them a new home, and said they will soon have to be destroyed. Mr King said: “A lady down the road has said she’ll take Snow White for her grandchildren at Christmas, but I can’t find a home for the dwarfs or queen.

“I was hoping to give them all to a children’s home or charity who would be able to look after them.

“I think the children would love them – they can’t play with them much, because they are made out of paper, but they would certainly brighten up the place.”

Mr King said he was ready to move on to new projects, but couldn’t get started with the sculptures taking up so much room.

He said: “My daughter, Terry-Ann, has asked if I could make a Father Christmas for my grandchildren, but I can’t while these characters are taking up the whole garage.

“Building them is a hobby for me, but now I have finished, I just want to get rid of them.”

Mr King, a retired businessman for a painting firm, lives near his daughter in Horspath.

His wife Doreen died five years ago.

He has created other characters in the past, including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, but has always been able to find them homes.

He has tried phoning children’s hospitals, including the John Radcliffe, but has been told they cannot have them for health and safety reasons.

He said: “Many of the places have said they would cause too much of a fire risk, so they can’t take them.

“I’m going to give it one more week, but then I’ll just have to get rid of them.”

  • Can you give Mr King’s dwarfs a home? Email newsdesk@oxfordmail.co.uk