BRITAIN'S MOST INSPIRING CALENDAR GIRLS

Forget One Direction and Cheryl Cole, a new calendar is celebrating Britain's real heroes - the nation's most inspiring mums. Rather than showcasing skimpy outfits or the latest celebrity crushes, the Women of Strength 2014 calendar celebrates inspirational mums from across the UK. These are women who have overcome illness, domestic violence and disabilities to raise their children. The calendar has been created by single mum Dawn Cousins, 39, and all proceeds will go to Mothers 2 Mothers, an international charity helping to prevent paediatric AIDS in Africa. The mum of four from Harrow, London, said she was inspired to create the calendar to empower mums.

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OTTER FAMILY FIGHT

Splashing around in the water, a mother otter and her son are tangled in a family feud .

DOCTORS THOUGHT MY 30CM OVARIAN CYST WAS A BABY DUE TO GROWING BELLY – BUT CANCER WAS RAVISHING MY ORGANS

A woman was diagnosed with cancer after a cyst left her so bloated medics were convinced she was pregnant .

SERENE ICEBERGS

A SERENE turquoise glow glimmers from underneath these powerful icebergs .

POLE-DANCING MUM CELEBRATES PREGNANCIES WITH WACKY STUNTS

A mum has celebrated each of her four pregnancies with a host of wacky stunts - including acrobatics, aerial contortion, pole-dancing and risque photo shoots .

FRILLED LIZARD SINGS FOR THE CAMERA

A frilled lizard appears to be belting out a tune as it sits in a tree with its mouth open wide .

BRITAIN'S MOST INSPIRING CALENDAR GIRLS

Forget One Direction and Cheryl Cole, a new calendar is celebrating Britain's real heroes - the nation's most inspiring mums .

MYSTERY OF THE CROOKED COTTAGE

THIS is the fascinating abandoned house, complete with mystery portraits and homely items, that has been dubbed - crooked cottage .

NOT FIT FOR DOGS - RSPCA RESCUERS FIND ANIMALS IN SHOCKING FILTH

It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .

WOMAN SPENDS £30K ON HELLO KITTY ADDICTION 

A shoe designer from London has spent a whopping £30,000 on Hello Kitty memorabilia .

LIQUID SCULPTURES

A BEAUTIFUL sight for the eyes and the imagination, these liquid sculptures take shape in many different colours and formations .

CRICKET FINDS AN UNUSUAL SEAT

A cricket perches on an unusual seat after crawling up the snout of a crocodile .