PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .

A quiet Himalayan mountain village springs to life for a colourful Buddhist festival designed to expel evil spirits and bring happiness .

A little girl who lost all four limbs to meningitis has taken her first steps since the illness thanks to her new 'Princess legs' .

WITH their robotic movements and pristine uniforms, these are the sexy traffic girls of North Korea that are becoming iconic figures in the secretive state .

A GIRL nicknamed JAWS by bullies who taunted her because of her underbite is em-bracing her new post-surgery life .

A photographer has captured stunning photographs of the Milky Way above picturesque landscapes in the UK and Italy .

A kingfisher’s bright blue and orange feathers glisten in the sunlight as the bird dives into a lake .

A talented 16st pole dancer who was once dubbed a 'disgusting human form' by online trolls is fighting back to show her bullies that big is beautiful .

RAISING his flipper, this two day old seal pup gives a wave to the camera .

Raising his arms above his head and lying flat on his back, a polar bear stretches as he sprawls out across the ice .

FOR most people, spending a night locked up in a cell would be undesirable .

Complete with core, mantle and crust, these incredible planet cakes are truly out of this world .