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.
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A BIKINI swim with jellyfish sounds like the most painful past-time on the planet .
A tiny puppy who lost his front legs after being hit by a train has been given and new LEASH of life with a set of wheels .
A photographer has captured spellbinding images of stars swirling above the English countryside .
WEARING tiny Christmas accessories, these adorable babies get into the spirit of the season .
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AN ANGRY giraffe gave a bush-riding cyclist a scare when he stomped his £2K bike into the dirt .
A fox takes a tumble and lands on his head when he tries to fend off a pair of eagles in Japan .
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A pair of adorable polar bear cubs play-fight with each other in the Alaskan snow .
Sam Notaro built his own flood defences to protect his four-bedroom home in Moorland, Somerset Flooding is likely to get worse around Somerset as groundwater levels continue to rise .
A trout manages to escape the jaws of a hungry cormorant - only to find itself back inside the bird's long beak .