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.
An adorable orangutan named Pongo celebrates his first birthday at Zoo Atlanta, Georgia, America .
The lighthouses of Brittany, from Brest to Le Conquet, stand tall on France’s north-western coast against stunning scenery .
A couple have tied the knot in a spectacular Harry Potter-themed wedding which cost £45,000 .
A photographer from the United Arab Emirates travelled to Pakistan where he captured the lives of local people in a series of expressive portraits .
Pouncing down on top of his twin brother, these two snow leopard cubs practice their kung-fu moves .
HIDDEN in the middle of the Mojave Desert, a secret oasis awaits intrepid travellers .
THIS alien-like bug would look more at home in outer-space but it can actually be found wriggling around here on Earth .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .
THIS incredible shimmer of silver fish mirrors the image of that of an underwater tornado .
DINING under the stars, this restaurant takes you back in time - inside an ancient cave .
As sunlight cascades through its vibrant stained glass windows, every inch of the Nasir-ol-Mulk Mosque bursts with colour .
SHOVELLING food into his mouth, this hungry gorilla enjoys a peaceful moment at dinner time .