BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: SWIMMING WITH SHARKS

Armed with a snorkel, flippers and her skimpy bikini, an intrepid female free diver swims alongside an array of reef sharks. These amazing photographs were captured by American ocean photojournalist Tim Rock, on a trip north of Papua New Guinea to Vertigo Reef in Yap, Micronesia. ‘I had the pleasure and privilege to team up with diver Ai Futaki for two weeks of photography during an event called Manta Fest in Yap, Micronesia,’ says Tim, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. ‘She is a world champion free diver who wanted to try free diving with sharks and asked if I would document her swimming in Yap's waters.

Other great stories
ADORABLE HARVEST MOUSE CLIMBS DANDELION

Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .

MAN LOSES 20 STONE AFTER FOOD ADDICTION RUNS UP £15K DEBT

A man has lost an incredible 20st after his addiction to food left him £15k in debt .

FIGHTING BABOONS

THEIR gnarling teeth at the ready, these two baboons fight it out for the last piece of fruit .

FISHERMEN IN MYANMAR BALANCE ON ONE LEG

Fishermen in Myanmar have perfected an unusual fishing technique by carefully balancing on one leg .

THE EVOLUTION OF GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL

PEACE and love filled the 1980’s Glastonbury fields as relaxed festival goers kicked back and soaked up the atmosphere .

CHEEKY OWL’S UNUSUAL LANDING SPOT

An owl swoops through the air before making an unorthodox landing - right on top of an unsuspecting man's head .

BEAR CUBS AND DOTING MUM

A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post .

DAREDEVIL DINING: THE 160FT HIGH RESTAURANT

Suspended FIFTY metres in the air, this is the last place that you would expect to find a fine dining experience .

SECRET POOL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT

HIDDEN in the middle of the Mojave Desert, a secret oasis awaits intrepid travellers .

SPECTACULAR AURORA BOREALIS

A SPECTRUM of colours fills the sky during this spectacular and natural display of light .

WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS DIVE

Standing on the edge of a never-ending black hole, this is one leap you wouldn't want to make .

TAXIDERMY ART BOOK

A KITTEN'S teaparty and rat's playing dominoes are the bizarre creations by one of Britain's great eccentrics pictured in an incredible new book .