The US is drawing up plans for a “bloody nose” military attack on North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program, according to The Telegraph newspaper of the UK.

The White House has “dramatically” stepped up preparation for a military solution in recent months amid fears diplomacy is not working, well-placed sources said.

One option is destroying a launch site before it is used by Pyongyang for a new missile test. Stockpiles of weapons could also be targeted.

The hope is that military force would show North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that America is “serious” about stopping further nuclear development and trigger negotiations.