In fun or indecent? Snow sculptures featuring close-up views of male and female anatomy has angered some residents in an area of north London heavily populated by university students.

The students say the sculptures shouldn't rub anyone the wrong way.

"We're kind of just having fun," said Rob McKinnon, a music student and creator of a particularly phallic snow sculpture that looks like an advertisement for Viagra.

"You can say it's a rocket or a lighthouse."

But Ward 2 Coun. Joni Baechler and area residents aren't laughing.

"People are fed up," she said.

Some parents have to walk by one penis sculpture to get to a Montessori school, she said. "They are really angry about it."

McKinnon's sculpture stands in a front yard at Huron Street and Sunset Drive.

The house contains some apartments for students who've been involved in a prank war.

"It all started with a salmon steak put in our closet last November," McKinnon said. "We didn't find it for a month."

Monday night, his neighbours blocked his front door with a two-metre high snow wall. So, McKinnon and his roommate got some late-night revenge.

Fellow student and neighbour Laura Dilabio woke up to see a giant penis from her front window.

"This is their Christmas gift to us," she said yesterday.

Dilabio said she understands neighbours' concerns.

But it could be worse, she said.

"They could have made it lot bigger, given the amount of snow they had."

The sculpture has become a bit of an attraction for area students.

"Last night, there were some girls taking pictures of (the sculpture)," Dilabio said.

"I'm sure it's going to get knocked down by drunks on the weekend."

The creator of a similar sculpture around the corner did just that when approached by a reporter yesterday.

"We just did it as a joke," the student said, of his more than two-metre high snowman sporting correct anatomy.

"We didn't mean to offend anybody."

"Should we tell them about the backhoe?" his roommate asked.

"Shhh," the student said.

As a reporter drove away, the student snapped off the snowman's manhood.

"He's been circumcised," the student shouted.

But the sculptures are an affront, said one resident, noting university housing officials have been called and will visit the offending students.

"Usually when it is pointed out to students, they take it down."