IRISH WOMAN FIRST ADULT IN WORLD TO GET BIONIC SPINE

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.

Other great stories
WIFE CELEBRATES MARRIAGE BY SNOWBOARDING IN WEDDING DRESS

SNOWBOARDING in your £2,000 wedding dress sounds like a nightmare for most brides .

WOMAN TRANSFORMS HERSELF INTO CARTOON CHARACTERS USING PAINT

A makeup artist from the West Midlands magically transforms herself into famous cartoon characters using body paint .

ABANDONED TEXTILE MILL

HUNDREDS of colour coordinated yarns lie abandoned in this once thriving textile mill .

PRAYING MANTIS MAKES AN UNLIKELY FRIEND

A brave praying mantis makes an unusual friend in an Oriental garden lizard .

THE END OF THE WORLD CINEMA

SITTING in the middle of a vast desert, an abandoned cinema is still waiting for its first movie to be screened .

DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOWMAN?

Fetching a tiny carrot and a head-shaped snowball, a red squirrel builds the perfect snowman .

SLOTH SANCTUARY

SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .

SOARING TAWNY OWL DELIVERS DINNER

SOARING through the air, this is the moment a hungry tawny owl arrives home with dinner .

TEEN GIRL TRUCKER YOUNGEST IN UK

Blonde teen Jess Stubbs has certainly got girl power - as Britain’s youngest TRUCKER .

CAMOUFLAGED NORTHERN POTOO BIRD IS A MASTER OF DISGUISE

A northern potoo shows it is a master of disguise as it perches on a tree stump and blends into the bark .

OSPREY FISHING IN SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

An osprey soars through the air at 30 miles per hour before swooping down to catch its prey from a lake .

SUPER CUTE BABY RED PANDAS

These adorable pictures show the moment two cuddly red panda cubs take their first look at the outside world and are weighed for the very first time .