A woman has spoken of her heartbreak after she was rejected by an adoption agency because of her pregnancy phobia. Kayleigh-Emma Shiel, 30, has always dreamed of becoming a mother, but suffers from tokophobia – a fear of childbirth. Her condition means that she is unable to conceive a child of her own as she is too terrified of pregnancy and the associated pain. Believing that adoption was her only chance of becoming a mother, Kayleigh and her fabricator husband Gary, 47, applied to adopt a child in January this year. But the couple, from Elland, West Yorkshire, were rejected partly due to Kayleigh’s unusual phobia.
BALANCING on top of a tree, this bear cub puts her climbing skills to the test .
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Fetching a tiny carrot and a head-shaped snowball, a red squirrel builds the perfect snowman .
A BIKINI swim with jellyfish sounds like the most painful past-time on the planet .
FROM KISSING an alligator on the nose to walking over broken glass, this fearless daredevil is a real life female JACKASS .
With the vivid red smoke billowing into the sky amid the misty sand dunes, these are the blissful views provided at the break of dawn at a volcano .
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A SERENE turquoise glow glimmers from underneath these powerful icebergs .
LYING flat out on his back, this little meerkat makes the most of the English sunshine .
MOUTH OPEN wide, this little stoat appears to be in mid-song as he belts out a tune for his onlookers .
WITHOUT A care in the world, this little snow monkey puts his feet up and settles in for a snooze .
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 .