FROM MRS Patmore to Lady Sybil, these barking mad illustrations show the WOOF-er side of some of our most loved Downton characters. The art works entitled 'Houndton Tabby', were designed by illustrator and artist Kim Parkhurst, 39, after she combined her love of drawing and Downton Abbey. 'I've been painting portraits of animals in historical costume for some time,” explains New Yorker Kim. “I've taken some familiar and beloved characters whose demeanour, personality, and appearance seemed to translate to certain breeds of dog or cat. 'I got to thinking about Mr Bates' character and storyline, and Brendan Coyle's facial structure, and how he could look hard but also had the warmest, kindest eyes.
SURROUNDED by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other .
CARRYING a fully grown goat on his back, this five-year-old boy is a child shepherd in the mountains of northern Ethiopia .
SOARING through the air, a hungry white-tailed kite prepares to snatch a vole from his mother’s claws .
AT first glance these images could easily be mistaken for photographs, but they are in-fact real life drawings created using nothing but coloured pencils .
An adorable orangutan named Pongo celebrates his first birthday at Zoo Atlanta, Georgia, America .
SWIMMING slowly towards the shore, a small group of bottlenose dolphins arrive for breakfast at a beach in Western Australia .
What lies beneath this building site? Britain's great hope of winning the pre-WW2 arms race against Nazi Germany .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .
FULL OF STUNNING colours and swirling shapes, the furrows on these fields create a mix of mesmerising patterns .
WITH THEIR adorable big round eyes and fluffy white fur, these baby seals are cute enough to melt any heart .
GIANT garden sculptures don't beat about the bush .