Ever wondered why your efforts at making a snowman always seem to fail? OONAGH ROBINSON and RICHARD RAITHBY offer these expert tips:

The first thing to consider is the type of snow that has fallen. Dry powdery snow is useless for making a snowman.

Scoop up some snow with your gloves to make a small ball and if no snow sticks to the gloves, you are ready to begin:

Crouch down and scoop enough snow to make a football-sized sphere. Ensure the snow is well compacted.

While in the crouching position, roll the ball on the ground around you in a circular motion and gather up all available snow. Roll randomly to ensure perfect roundness.

Now begin rolling your ball on the ground in a straight line. After roughly half a dozen full rolls, turn the ball 45 degrees and continue in a straight line again. This will stop your snowball becoming 'log' shaped.

Zig-zag up and down your garden just as though you were mowing the lawn. As the ball gets heavier it will want to take its own course – older snowman makers beware.

Anyone with a serious back problem should take extra care

By the time the ball is as high as your knee/waist, stop and leave to one side.

Now begin another ball in the same manner as before.

The second ball is now ready to be placed on top of the first.

Top tip – the second one will be very heavy by this stage so you might need assistance to lift it.

If no assistance is available, use a spade to slice it in half and place each part on top of the first sphere.

Where the snowballs meet, you will need to compact the gap with more snow to prevent the top one from falling off and also to give a good shape.

The more adventurous snowman maker could proceed to a third and possibly even a fourth large ball, bearing in mind that the bigger your snowman, the more chance it has of falling over.

Create a smaller ball to act as the head and place on top of your figure.

Continue compacting and sculpting to get your required shape. Simple garden tools will aid this process enormously.

Be individual – remember your snowman could be a quirky shape and you could even create a snow woman with the simple addition of boobs.

Now it's time to dress your snow person. Carrots are ideal for noses. Use coal, stones or conkers for the eyes – an old teabag could prove just as useful. Digging out sockets for the eyes will help your efforts.

Add old hats, gloves and scarves to create a realistic sculpture.

Always ensure your children are supervised at all times, as the larger snowman in particular is in constant danger of tipping over.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye on your dog. A hound on the hunt for a good place to relieve itself could have further destabilising effects on your creation.