Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman has created a giant wooden hippo sculpture in London, inspired by an illustration in one of his daughter’s books.

The 21-metre long animal, appropriately named HippoThames, will be on show on the south bank of the river until the end of September as part of the Totally Thames festival.

Hofman is most famous for his enormous yellow bath duck which has been anchored in harbours all over the world.

‘I wanted to use the hippo to get people out of their homes, away from the Internet and the tv, and to explore London with a new perspective,’ Hofman told CNN.