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.
FROM MRS Patmore to Lady Sybil, these barking mad illustrations show the WOOF-er side of some of our most loved Downton characters .
With one hand rested on his belly and the other propping his head up, this lazy lizard takes an afternoon break .
PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds .
Primed and ready for action, this collection of striking images from the battlefield could be mistaken for authentic photos taking during World War II .
A panic stricken kitten that got her head stuck in a car tyre has been freed by quick thinking RSPCA staff .
PERCHED on a branch, these two frogs hold hands as they look into the camera .
These photographs of extreme weather capture storms furiously rolling across the sky above America .
AN ANGRY giraffe gave a bush-riding cyclist a scare when he stomped his £2K bike into the dirt .
At least three people have been killed and more than 100 injured, some seriously, in two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon .
While often referred to as the kings of the jungle, gorillas - for all their might - are notorious hydrophobes .
An artist has transformed traditional Thanksgiving dinners into mini-masterpieces .
Raising his arms above his head and lying flat on his back, a polar bear stretches as he sprawls out across the ice .