I LOST HALF MY WEIGHT AND BECAME A WOMAN
Pinning a purple flower into her bleach blonde hair, pretty Ava admired herself in the mirror. She had every reason to be proud. In the space of a year, she had lost an incredible 17 stone. Her weight dropped from 37st 1lbs to 19st 7lbs, and she slipped into a dress before gazing at her newly svelte figure. With her smokey eye makeup and black skater dress, she could have been glamming up for a night on the tiles with her girlfriends. Instead, it was Halloween, 2013, and Ava was hiding a huge secret. Born a boy named William, it was the first time she had ever dressed as a girl – and everything fell into place.
Other great stories
DAREDEVIL DIVERS HAVE A WHALE OF A TIME
SWIMMING next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea .
LIQUID SCULPTURES
A BEAUTIFUL sight for the eyes and the imagination, these liquid sculptures take shape in many different colours and formations .
OKLAHOMA TORNADO
Destroyed buildings and overturned cars are seen after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013 .
SOARING TAWNY OWL DELIVERS DINNER
SOARING through the air, this is the moment a hungry tawny owl arrives home with dinner .
ADORABLE OWLS CUDDLE UP FOR THE CAMERA
HUDDLED together on a branch, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls soak up the sun .
UNUSUAL ANIMAL FRIENDSHIP
SAT happily on the branch of a tree, this little frog appears unfazed by a surprise visitor .
MIRACLE MAN SURVIVES 13,000ft FALL WHEN PARACHUTE FAILS
A skydiver cheated death after plunging 13,000 feet without his parachute opening but survived after landing in a bog .
STAG SHOWS OFF IMPRESSIVE HEADDRESS IN LONDON'S BUSHY PARK
A proud stag attempts to impress the females by donning an enormous fern headdress in London's Bushy Park .
ASTOUNDING VIEWS FROM THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD
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 .
INDONESIAN FLOATING MARKET IS BURSTING WITH COLOUR
A floating market in Indonesia is bursting with vibrant colours as wooden rowing boats loaded with fruit and vegetables crowd the river .
MESMERISING FIELD PATTERNS
FULL OF STUNNING colours and swirling shapes, the furrows on these fields create a mix of mesmerising patterns .