Pinning a purple flower into her bleach blonde hair, pretty Ava admired herself in the mirror. She had every reason to be proud. In the space of a year, she had lost an incredible 17 stone. Her weight dropped from 37st 1lbs to 19st 7lbs, and she slipped into a dress before gazing at her newly svelte figure. With her smokey eye makeup and black skater dress, she could have been glamming up for a night on the tiles with her girlfriends. Instead, it was Halloween, 2013, and Ava was hiding a huge secret. Born a boy named William, it was the first time she had ever dressed as a girl – and everything fell into place.
OFFERING a glimpse into the past, a mash-up of old and new photographs show how the world’s biggest cities have changed .
LIFTING their heads high and bumping beaks, these aggressive pelicans clash over fish .
From giant mountains to vast deserts, an American photographer spent a year capturing the diverse and beautiful landscape of the United States .
A middle spotted woodpecker swoops into her nest and feeds her young in a forest in Trentino, Italy .
A quiet Himalayan mountain village springs to life for a colourful Buddhist festival designed to expel evil spirits and bring happiness .
THIS is the awesome moment an Osprey catches its prey travelling at 50mph, giving new meaning to FAST FOOD .
CLIMBING, falling and tugging on his weary mum, this little orangutan is up to all kinds of trouble .
A blanket of fog is lit up by the colourful glowing lights of the city below .
UNDERWATER and above-water seaside shots show the best of British beach-life .
An Italian photographer travelled to northern India where he visited poverty stricken suburbs and captured ordinary people in a series of intimate and expressive portraits .
SNUGGLED up in the hay away from the elements, this adorable hoglet has sought solace with a familiar friend .
Enjoying life’s little pleasures is something that many struggle to do .