A young mum has told how a phantom pregnancy almost destroyed her dream of having a second child. Pretty Tracie Shannon was desperate to have another baby with her husband James, 25, but was devastated to learn the "bump" growing inside her was actually a kind of tumour. Having already endured two miscarriages in her quest to provide her first son Taylor, three, with a sibling to complete their little family, Tracie was overjoyed to learn she was pregnant again. But despite experiencing all the usual signs of pregnancy, from a swollen tummy to morning sickness, her hopes were crushed when she went for a scan at 11 weeks. Tracie, 26, from Cirencester, Gloucs, had been eager to see the first scan of her unborn child, but instead a "snowstorm" appeared on the ultrasound monitor
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 .
An American black bear mimics John Travolta’s famous Saturday Night Fever dance move by hurling its arm in the air .
With the vivid red smoke billowing into the sky amid the misty sand dunes, these are the blissful views provided at the break of dawn at a volcano .
Throwing a right hook as he launches onto his opponent with his gnarling teeth at the ready, this is the OTTER-LY ruthless showdown between two otters .
IN THE not so MISTY MOUNTAINS of Wiltshire, there lies an abandoned hobbit house .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
CLINGING onto nothing but ice, this brave climber reaches heights of 1000 FEET as he scales frozen solid waterfalls .
A hungry hippo is seconds away from catching a bird in its gigantic jaws .
A diver explores the crystal clear waters of the Silfra canyon in southern Iceland, which is the only place on Earth where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates .
A striped marlin means business as it spots lunch and spears a small fish .
UNDERWATER and above-water seaside shots show the best of British beach-life .
If you had to scrape the snow off your car this morning or slip-slide your way into work over icy pavements spare a thought for these little critters .