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.
COURAGEOUS climbers descend 400 metres as they manoeuvre their way through thick walls of ice .
A mischievous fox cub demonstrates his playful side by biting his sibling’s tail .
A cheeky gorilla sticks her tongue out and plays up for the camera at Bronx Zoo .
A kingfisher’s bright blue and orange feathers glisten in the sunlight as the bird dives into a lake .
BEHIND the doors of this building, with its stacks of mattresses and discarded remains of wheelchairs, lies another victim of austerity cuts .
This is the moment a nimble red fox and a lumbering Alaskan brown bear were locked in a tense stand-off .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .
A toddler has shrugged off death an incredible 10 times thanks to his parents who revive him with the kiss of life every two weeks .
YOU’VE heard of the northern lights now feast your eyes on the natural wonder of the SOUTHERN lights .
A KITTEN'S teaparty and rat's playing dominoes are the bizarre creations by one of Britain's great eccentrics pictured in an incredible new book .
A SPECTACULAR array of stars fills the night sky as they soar over this active volcano .