High up in the mountains and thousands of feet off the ground, a party of climbers were in for a shock as they came face to face with this frightening leap of faith .

HUDDLED together on a branch, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls soak up the sun .

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 .

From the tails of fighter planes to black and white checked buildings, graveyards take different and unusual forms around the world .

STARING eagerly into the camera, this little toad is full of curiosity .

WITH the mystical clouds forming a thick blanket and the electrifying lights below, these stunning pictures provide a unique view of the cityscape of Dubai taken from the tallest building in the world .

MEET the underwater British seal who is so friendly he loves to grapple divers like a friendly puppy dog .

Sophie Carr, 23, from Swindon, was just six when her older brother Alex, then 12, abused her during a game of mummies and daddies .

Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .

WITH a paw in the air and his tongue hanging from his mouth, it is clear to see that this little groundhog is struggling to wake up and leave behind the comfort of his burrow .

A woman who battled aggressive bowel cancer has started a fashion blog offering style tips for those living with a colostomy bag .

A man who conned tax officials out of £34 million and funded a lavish lifestyle of luxury hotels and restaurants has been jailed for one of the longest sentences in British criminal fraud history .