She is about to start driving and soon will be able to legally buy alcohol and get married, but Poppy Webb-Jones still looks and thinks like a ten-year-old girl. Unlike other 17-year-olds, Poppy is more interested in Hannah Montana and Justin Bieber than wearing make-up, experimenting with boys or staying out late. This is due to a rare condition which means she was born without any hormones, meaning she has never gone through puberty, never had a growth spurt and never thrown a teenage tantrum. To many parents of teenagers, Poppy must sound like the perfect child, but unbeknown to her or her mother Karen Webb-Meek, her condition posed a deadly risk to her health throughout her whole childhood. Poppy was born with a condition called panhypopituitarism meaning she lacks most of the hormones essential for life. Hypopituitarism is the decreased secretion of one or more of the eight hormones normally produced by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. If there is decreased secretion of most pituitary hormones, the term panhypopituitarism (pan meaning "all") is used. Poppy has no growth hormone, meaning her bones stopped growing around the age of 11, and she has no thyroxine, which regulates the metabolism and energy levels. In addition she has no oestrogen, which controls the onset of puberty and the development of secondary sexual characteristics.
MOUTH OPEN wide, this little stoat appears to be in mid-song as he belts out a tune for his onlookers .
THIS is the awesome moment an Osprey catches its prey travelling at 50mph, giving new meaning to FAST FOOD .
WITH the phosphorescent blobs and mesmerising patterns, these spectacular images may look like the hall marks of an enchanted forest but it is in fact the scene of thousands of dancing FIREFLIES .
SPLASHING in the water and fighting in-between rocks, these energetic tigers enjoy their fun-filled morning .
BASKING in smug satisfaction, a confident squirrel gives a wink to the camera .
Clinging on to their furry backs, mischievous monkeys appeared to enjoy the free transport as they rode around on a perturbed Capybara .
INSIDE Britain's last Naval hospital where scurvy was cured looks like an NHS time capsule .
A once bustling gold rush town in Mono County, California now stands completed deserted .
STOOD side by side next to a busy road, these buildings were once bustling with life .
SPARKLING bright inside their box, it’s hard to believe these diamonds are made from the cremated remains of the deceased .
STEPFORD wives from the 1950's and 60's are performing history's most sexist exercise programme .
