Whitley Bay Frenchie 'Frank the Tank' could be the world's biggest French Bulldog

Meet Frank, the beloved family pet who might just be the world's biggest French Bulldog.

This eight-year-old Frenchie has been nicknamed Frank the Tank and often attracts comments from dog walkers who are taken aback by his size. But until recently, owner Emma Towns had no idea that he could potentially hold the record as the biggest of his breed.

Emma said: "People say he's a big lad and we had someone recently say he looked like a wombat. Pre-Covid we used to go on a French Bulldog walk every Sunday at North Shields Fish Quay and there used to be 20 of us. We had been going for a few years and he was always the biggest. 'Frank the Tank' as everyone calls him, he's huge and has always been big."

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While the average French Bulldog weighs between 9kg and 13kg, Emma revealed that Frank weighs a whopping 24.6kg. His vet records confirm that at his last weigh-in at the practice in May he was 24.4kg.

This puts him ahead of Diaz, also known as Daddy Diaz, the Frenchie who is currently described as the biggest Frenchie in Australia and potentially the world. He has almost 25,000 fans following an Instagram account dedicated to him and caught the attention of Emma's dog walker who believed that Frank could be bigger.

Emma said: "My dog walker asked me 'how heavy is Frank?' I said he's 24.6kg and she said you do know the biggest is like 22kg. I thought 'no way' but I went online and had a look and she's right, the biggest recorded is 22kg and Frank's 24.6kg."

The 41-year-old, from Whitley Bay, said she and her husband Lee decided to get a dog when they moved to the coastal town from North Shields. When Lee, 53, was at work offshore Emma said she would go and visit a litter of Frenchies "for a look". But after spotting Frank she couldn't resist reserving him until he was ready for rehoming.

Emma, who said Frank is Kennel Club registered, said: "We brought him home on Bonfire Night from Blyth. He's got a brother named Frankie who lives in Tynemouth and he's half the size."

"He'll be nine on August 31 so he's getting on a bit for a Frenchie. He's still very naughty and his favourite things to do are shred toilet rolls and eat remotes. He loves a treat, loves people and other Frenchies", she added.

ChronicleLive contacted Guinness World Records to verify whether there was an official title holder.