Animal rescue volunteers have told how a cat riddled with cancer was forced to ripped off its own ears after it was abandoned by its owners. Poor Victoria was so ravaged by cancer that she had torn off her own ears by the time she was discovered wandering the streets by a passer-by distraught at her obvious plight. At first it was thought she had been mauled by a dog but on closer inspection by a vet it became clear the pain of the tumours had been so severe the little black and white cat had made a desperate bid to escape the agony. Victoria was found walking the streets of Newent, Gloucs., and handed over to charity workers at the New Start Cat Rescue Centre who took her in and paid for an operation on her ears. It is costing them thousands of pounds to rehabilitate her but volunteers there say the affectionate feline deserves a new chance at life..
A brave leopard kicks back and relaxes in the sunshine - just inches from an enormous crocodile .
A quiet Himalayan mountain village springs to life for a colourful Buddhist festival designed to expel evil spirits and bring happiness .
FROM COLOURFUL autumn leaves to living trees at first glance you might miss these people blended with nature .
A grand 56-bedroom hotel, once heaving with injured soldiers during the First World War, now lies completely abandoned .
A carefree bear cub reclines in the water with his feet raised in the air .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .
A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .
WITH STUNNING colours and serene scenes, these photographs capture the otherworldly beauty of the English coast .
This brave Hyena finally catches his pray among the thousands of flamingos, Lake Nakuru, Kenya - OUTNUMBERED among thousands of flamingos, this bold hyena is not put off from hunting for a morning snack .
Destroyed buildings and overturned cars are seen after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013 .