World's smallest man | Chinese short man who measures only 2ft 6in

The man, 40, who measures only 2ft 6in and is bidding for title of world's smallest man.

A 40-year-old Chinese man who measures only 2ft 6in (76cm) is bidding for the title of the world's smallest man.

Following the death of the former record-holder earlier this year, Huang Kaiquan, from Hejiang County, Sichuan province, has stepped forward hoping to claim the record.

He Pingping was the world's smallest man until his death in March this year at the age of just 21.

Huang Kaiquan, who is only 2ft 5.91in and pictured here with mother Cheng Fuxiu, is bidding for the title of world's smallest man


Huang, or 'short brother' as he is known locally, is only 1.4cm taller than Pingping.

The 40-year-old, who weighs just 26 lb (12kg), the same as a three-year-old, is now hoping to claim the record.

According to his mother Cheng Fuxiu, Huang was born in February 1970. He is the second child and only son and all the other family members are of normal height.

Huang may never have a normal life but he takes consolation from the fact that even at 40 his mother can still pick him up for a cuddle.

He said: 'My mother always picked me up when I was little and as I'm still little she can still manage it.

'All my friends grew too big to be picked up, but I never grow any bigger which means that every day I can still get a cuddle from my mum.

'People have always mistaken me for a toddler because of my height - and now I'm going bald I look even more like a baby,' he joked.