WITH a paw in the air and his tongue hanging from his mouth, it is clear to see that this little groundhog is struggling to wake up and leave behind the comfort of his burrow. The groundhog takes a moment to stretch before quickly becoming aware that he's not alone. The adorable scene was captured in the Tonale Pass, a high mountain pass in Trentino Alto Adige, Italy, by freelance photographer Maurizio Lancini. The 39-year-old, of Rodengo Saiano, Brescia, Italy, says:"I spotted the entrance to the burrow so decided to hide nearby and wait for the groundhog to appear.
THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS - 250 DRIVERS ARRESTED FOR STREET RACING IN BIRMINGHAM- In Pic - The start line on the Heartlands Parkway Nechels Birmingham .
BASKING in smug satisfaction, a confident squirrel gives a wink to the camera .
FROM MRS Patmore to Lady Sybil, these barking mad illustrations show the WOOF-er side of some of our most loved Downton characters .
MAKING himself at home, this little snail perches happily on top of this frog's head .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
EAGERLY BITING his nails, this little squirrel is clearly nervous of looming predators as he searches for his meal .
WEARING tiny Christmas accessories, these adorable babies get into the spirit of the season .
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 .
An Italian photographer travelled to northern India where he visited poverty stricken suburbs and captured ordinary people in a series of intimate and expressive portraits .
LEAF-ing much to the imagination, this camera trickery is blooming marvellous .
WELCOME to the drawing room that is home to the £100K world’s greatest collection of Margaret Thatcher autographed objects .
DINING under the stars, this restaurant takes you back in time - inside an ancient cave .