A scoliosis sufferer was heartbroken to learn surgery would stop her dancing - but she battled through the pain to complete her GCSE dance exams and earn A*. Phoebe Grace, from Ashford, Kent, was diagnosed with scoliosis in October 2013, and this summer underwent surgery to correct the severe 50 and 55 degree curves in her contorted spine. Despite being just weeks away from major spine surgery, the 16-year-old was determined to complete her last dance performance in June.
A quiet Himalayan mountain village springs to life for a colourful Buddhist festival designed to expel evil spirits and bring happiness .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
A little caterpillar fearlessly scampers down a branch and confronts a praying mantis .
CLIMBING, falling and tugging on his weary mum, this little orangutan is up to all kinds of trouble .
LEAF-ing much to the imagination, this camera trickery is blooming marvellous .
This tranquil setting stretches for miles as the sun sets behind the mountain .
A middle spotted woodpecker swoops into her nest and feeds her young in a forest in Trentino, Italy .
Peering curiously into a basket hanging off the arms of a snowman, this little squirrel appears fascinated by the snowy figure .
A cricket perches on an unusual seat after crawling up the snout of a crocodile .
A brave praying mantis makes an unusual friend in an Oriental garden lizard .
A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .