LINED up one by one on a deer’s back, these little birds give their wings a break as they catch a ride across London. Aware of her hitchhikers, the female red deer seems unfazed as the starlings arrive. The scene was photographed by 16-year-old student Samuel Aron on a day out in Richmond Park, London. Samuel, of Watford, says: ‘I have seen this behaviour before from starlings, but I have never seen so many on one deer.
A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .
A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
SWIMMING next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea .
Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .
A BLIND man was battered with a brick in a sickening attack by two thugs .
A diving guide leaves a shark completely docile and balanced in the palm of his hand .
A BIKINI swim with jellyfish sounds like the most painful past-time on the planet .
From vivid greens to glowing pinks, the colours of the aurora borealis fill the night sky above a snow covered Lapland .
FROM MRS Patmore to Lady Sybil, these barking mad illustrations show the WOOF-er side of some of our most loved Downton characters .
UNDERWATER and above-water seaside shots show the best of British beach-life .
ARM extended and head flung back, this little chipmunk performs a loose-limbed yoga move .