A middle spotted woodpecker swoops into her nest and feeds her young in a forest in Trentino, Italy. Jacopo Rigotti, of Val Di Cembra, Trento, Italy, photographed the bird as she flew towards her nest, located in the trunk of a black pine tree, before feeding her hungry chicks a beakful of insects. The 25-year-old photographer says: "I decided to set up the camera on a tripod at the base of the tree, along with a flash that would help to prevent shadows in the photographs."
SPLASHING around in a paddling pool, this little elephant soaks up the sunshine .
This frozen lighthouse in Michigan could easily be mistaken for a still from the snow swept disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow .
GIANT garden sculptures don't beat about the bush .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
PICKING up a tiny tea-pot with its paws, a little red squirrel struggles to prepare its morning tea .
A pair of snarling foxes go paw-to-paw and brawl after unexpectedly crossing paths .
THROWING himself off 1,100ft bridges in a wheelchair, this is the PARALYSED base jumper who knows no fear .
SNUGGLED up in the hay away from the elements, this adorable hoglet has sought solace with a familiar friend .
Southern England, the south-west and west Wales have been warned to expect more wild weather, with heavy rain and high tides possibly leading to coastal flooding and travel disruption over the weekend .
VENTURING into the ocean with self-made spears and nets, the fishermen of Zanzibar put their lives on the line when they catch food for their families .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
AT first glance these images could easily be mistaken for photographs, but they are in-fact real life drawings created using nothing but coloured pencils .