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. Brit photographer Simon Phillpotts captured a family of red squirrels darting about in the freshly fallen snow, looking frantically for somewhere to hide their nuts. The adorable squirrels were caught on camera near Hawes, North Yorks., as the country surrenders to the annual traffic and travel chaos caused by widespread snowfall. Simon braved the freezing temperatures to grab these amazing shots of the squirrels as they frolicked in the snow, jumping into drifts and hunting for grub amongst the white stuff. Simon said: "They were just running around, burying nuts - they don't stop, even in winter.
SURROUNDED by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other .
FINALLY catching a meal, a pair of great white egrets fight over their dinner .
AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .
SKIPPING on the spot, an adorable little owl embraces the 'running man' challenge .
WRAPPED up in classy headscarves, these adorable pooches are the picture of sophistication .
ROLLING around in the snow, these young brown bears take a break from their play fight to share a tender hug with one another .
THIS astonishing film shows the moment a hit-and-run driver ploughed into a woman and a toddler on a Coventry street .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
Balanced on one leg, a frog assumes the crane kick martial arts stance made famous in the movie The Karate Kid .
A lazy tree frog, tired of hopping along a branch, chooses the slowest form of transport when it jumps on top of an unsuspecting snail .
Swimming side by side with divers, these manatees will do anything they can to stay warm .