FROM ICE bubbles to boiling lava, these photographs highlight the stunning shapes and patterns found in nature. The series of extraordinary images were taken by German software engineer Thorsten Scheuermann after he decided to examine his surroundings. A trip to the city of Kalapana in Hawaii, home to the Kilauea Volcano, provided Thorsten with the setting for his lava picture, while a visit to the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon offered him the opportunity to photograph ice bubbles up-close. The 37-year-old, now of Washington, USA, said: 'These are sights that can gain greater significance and have their beauty exposed when excluding everything else around them.'
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 .
Full of tired and busy commuters, these underground stations are rarely admired for their architecture or beauty .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .
THESE are the Disney Princesses you wouldn't want to run into in a dark alley .
A family of foster carers are facing bankruptcy and homelessness after they signed up to a Government scheme to renovate their house to be used for disabled children's short breaks .
Throwing their arms up in the air, these energetic squirrels play a game of ball with a walnut .
HIDDEN in the middle of the Mojave Desert, a secret oasis awaits intrepid travellers .
This hungry white tiger has just one thing on her mind - to taste fresh meat .
SNUGGLED up in the hay away from the elements, this adorable hoglet has sought solace with a familiar friend .
A BAMBI was dramatically caught in mid-air by a greedy Nile crocodile in a once-in-a-million flying pincer move .
WITH A STERN look of determination on their faces, these adorable pooches perfect their doggy paddle as they dive head first into a swimming pool .