Ice and snow sculptures carved by nearly 10,000 artists in China have melted during a sudden warm spell.

The Harbin Ice and Snow World, which is part of China’s biggest winter festival, has been forced to shut 10 days ahead of schedule after temperatures climbed above freezing. It is the earliest time it has ended in its history.

Situated in the northeastern Heilongjiang province, the city of Harbin is known for its bitterly cold weather.

Scientists have warned climate change could threaten the future of its most famous attraction.

The ice park's closure came during the warmest week in northern China this winter

Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Fireworks explode over ice sculptures on the opening day of the annual Harbin Festival EPA Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Reuters Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors look at ice sculptures lit by night during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China's northeast Heilongjiang province AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures A "cityscape" view of Harbin Reuters Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures The palace at Harbin EPA Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Workers carve snow sculptures during the Harbin Festival AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures lit by night during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures A "cityscape" view of Harbin AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Fireworks explode over ice sculptures on the opening day of the annual Harbin Festival AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures lit by night during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures The main gate to Harbin AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures A wall in Harbin EPA Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Swimmers prepare to dive into a swimming pool carved from ice AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures lit by night during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Workers build up Harbin Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Workers build up Harbin Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures An ice sculpture at Harbin AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors ride on the ice in front of a snow sculpture in Harbin AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures A wide view of Harbin AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures A pig sculpture to celebrate the Year of the Pig at Harbin AFP/Getty Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures Visitors walk among ice sculptures lit by night during the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival EPA Incredible town made of ice in China for Winter festival: in pictures A wide view of Harbin at night AFP/Getty

“Of course, we do have a sense of crisis,” said a festival official, who added melting sculptures had forced the closure on safety grounds.

More than one million people from around the world had visited the festival since 23 December.

Customers who made bookings to marvel at mini ice replicas of the Colosseum and Milan Cathedral were disappointed by the early closure.

“Why didn’t you inform us in advance,” one tourist wrote in a post on Chinese social media site Weibo. “I’ve booked my train ticket and hotel, and now you are closed.”

Unused tickets to visit the festival have been refunded, the festival said.

Last year the park shut on 10 March.

Harbin’s winter festival has drawn millions of visitors from around the world every year since its inception in the early 1980s. It is a key source of tourism revenue for the city.

The Harbin Ice and Snow World, which now forms the main venue of the festival, first opened in 1999.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Sculptors have previously been forced to remake their creations after they were melted by warm weather.

Harbin’s average annual temperature is now more than 5C higher than historical records, according to meteorologists.