AN Irish woman has become the first adult in the world to receive a revolutionary REMOTE CONTROLLED 'ROBO SPINE', which uses magnets to combat the effects of scoliosis. Deirdre McDonnell, 34, from Drogheda, County Louth, can now stand tall for the first time after undergoing the pioneering MAGEC rod operation. The operation, also known as the magnetic expansion control system, involves the insertion of a magnetic rod that is screwed onto the spine and controlled externally in order to correct the curvature caused by scoliosis. Up until now, the £15K procedure has only been performed on children, as it was thought only to be effective for early onset scoliosis - typically diagnosed before the age of ten.
SURROUNDED by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other .
A small Indian monkey is seemingly gob-smacked after reading the latest stock market news .
TENNIS was a game made for three according to the first Victorian rule book .
ROLLING across a 65-metre-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings .
LEAPING for joy five-feet above the waves this baby whale cutie is saying HELLO to its family after being lost .
AT first glance these images could easily be mistaken for photographs, but they are in-fact real life drawings created using nothing but coloured pencils .
A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .
The lighthouses of Brittany, from Brest to Le Conquet, stand tall on France’s north-western coast against stunning scenery .
Soldiers standing guard outside the Woolwich barracks in London - Two terror suspects are under armed guard in separate hospitals in London after a serving soldier was hacked to death in the street .
STARING eagerly into the camera, this little toad is full of curiosity .
SAILING over crystal clear waters, the Bajau people of Malaysia live their lives almost entirely at SEA .
