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.
BURSTING colours of reds, pinks and purples give the illusion of a collection of stunning flowers .
An adorable black bear cub struggles to find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap as he wriggles around on the branch of a maple tree .
A SPECTACULAR array of stars fills the night sky as they soar over this active volcano .
UNDERWATER and above-water seaside shots show the best of British beach-life .
THIS is the EXPLOSIVE moment when a 50 metre high pylon came crashing down to earth in a rural field .
SOARING through the air, a hungry white-tailed kite prepares to snatch a vole from his mother’s claws .
Swirling water and sand create amazing aerial images of river deltas across Iceland .
Here's a collection of art for the DIGIT-AL age as these fascinating illusions of landmarks, places and even a banana are made using just a pair of hands .
Suspended FIFTY metres in the air, this is the last place that you would expect to find a fine dining experience .
MAKING himself at home, this little snail perches happily on top of this frog's head .
These uninvited guests ELEPHANTLY make their annual trip through the reception of this welcoming lodge .
SPLASHING around in a paddling pool, this little elephant soaks up the sunshine .