HOUNDTON TABBY

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.

Other great stories
AURORA BOREALIS ILLUMINATES LAPLAND

From vivid greens to glowing pinks, the colours of the aurora borealis fill the night sky above a snow covered Lapland .

FIGHTING FOX IS BEATEN BY EAGLES

A fox takes a tumble and lands on his head when he tries to fend off a pair of eagles in Japan .

BASHFUL ORANGUTAN

A young orangutan comes over all shy as she hides her face behind a broken bucket .

ON A WINGSUIT AND A PRAYER - FASTEST FLYING WOMAN IN THE WORLD

SOARING at 112 miles per hour through the air, this petite blonde certainly lives up to her title as the fastest flying woman in the world .

EUROSTAR-BUCKS

THIS ONE of a kind experience brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'a coffee to go' .

ENDANGERED GORILLA BORN AT TWYCROSS ZOO

A proud gorilla mum welcomes her newborn baby western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species .

SLAM DUNK DA FISH

THIS is the incredible moment a pelican throws a fish into the air and SLAM DUNKS it into its enormous throat sack .

MONKEY BATH

RAISING his foot into the air, this cheeky monkey offers an unusual wave .

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Staring death in the face, a little field mouse bravely confronts a hungry cat .

THIRD WHEEL OWL

PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds .

INDONESIAN FLOATING MARKET IS BURSTING WITH COLOUR

A floating market in Indonesia is bursting with vibrant colours as wooden rowing boats loaded with fruit and vegetables crowd the river .

CROCODILE CAVE DIVING PENSIONER

THIS DANGER-mad female pensioner could be the oldest Brit to cage dive with CROCODILES .