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.
MEET the underwater British seal who is so friendly he loves to grapple divers like a friendly puppy dog .
A grey whale and her calf greet an audience of awestruck admirers on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico .
What lies beneath this building site? Britain's great hope of winning the pre-WW2 arms race against Nazi Germany .
A TAXIDERMY truck spotted in America’s Deep South could be the most gruesome wagon on the road .
HIDDEN in the middle of the Mojave Desert, a secret oasis awaits intrepid travellers .
A puppy bit off more than he could chew when he stole a six inch Chinese spare rib from his owner and swallowed it WHOLE, Cheeky Staffordshire bull terrier Rossi had his life SPARED when he underwent a life-saving operation to remove the bone from his stomach after swiping part of the takeaway meal .
COURAGEOUS climbers descend 400 metres as they manoeuvre their way through thick walls of ice .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
AIRPORT staff have been put on alert after diet pills that come in grenade shaped containers sparked security alerts .
These images of vintage cars, bikes and vans, pictured all over the world, could easily have come from a globetrotting petrol-head’s photo album .