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.
This longhorn beetle demon-strates a dark side as it looks just like the devil .
AN OLD ENGLISH cottage packed full of history and valuables has been left to rot .
Balanced on one leg, a frog assumes the crane kick martial arts stance made famous in the movie The Karate Kid .
A middle spotted woodpecker swoops into her nest and feeds her young in a forest in Trentino, Italy .
These beautiful photographs show how these playful pods of dolphins make their own fun by gliding, flipping and spinning through the air whilst enjoying the sun on their backs .
HUNDREDS of colour coordinated yarns lie abandoned in this once thriving textile mill .
With their guts spewing and eyes hanging out, these are the cuddly toys children might be reluctant to curl up to .
The claws come out at meal time as a group of white tailed eagles brawl over road-kill .
A panic stricken kitten that got her head stuck in a car tyre has been freed by quick thinking RSPCA staff .
A proud gorilla mum welcomes her newborn baby western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species .
BASKING in smug satisfaction, a confident squirrel gives a wink to the camera .