I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE UP NOW, MR NUTKIN
Red squirrels are well known for their intelligence and curiosity but when one snapper caught this furry little guy trying to take his own self-portrait he couldn't help but be taken aback. Professional wildlife photographer Simon Philpotts had only turned his back for a moment during a session spent snapping a new colony of red squirrels near his home in Wensleydale, North Yorks. But as he headed into a nearby hide to set up some equipment, he spotted one furry-tailed photographer commandeering his camera. After climbing up the tripod and sniffing about the rig, Simon captured the sneaky scamp seemingly attempting to take a picture of himself - placing his foot on the shutter release and sticking his nose into the lens. Simon, 38, said: "We are getting a lot of squirrels at the moment and they are very curious. This little one decided to climb up my tripod and basically try and take my camera apart. At one point it looked like he was trying to take a self portrait.
Other great stories
UNUSUAL ANIMAL FRIENDSHIP
SAT happily on the branch of a tree, this little frog appears unfazed by a surprise visitor .
AERIALS OF FLOODING ON SOMERSET LEVELS
Sam Notaro built his own flood defences to protect his four-bedroom home in Moorland, Somerset Flooding is likely to get worse around Somerset as groundwater levels continue to rise .
WOMAN RESPONDS TO TROLLS AFTER BEING DUBBED 'SWAMP CREATURE'
A young makeup artist has hit back at vile internet trolls who dubbed her a 'swamp creature' and 'ugly' for exposing her troubled skin in online makeup tutorials .
DAUGHTER’S FACEBOOK PLEA FOR STRANGERS TO SAVE DYING MUM
A loving daughter has set up a Facebook page in a desperate plea to strangers, to donate a kidney to her dying mum .
MINI-CANE GUIDES BLIND LEXI
A BLIND school-girl whose growth has been stunted by a rare medical condition is finding her feet again with the help of a specially made mini-cane .
FROZEN WATERFALLS
COURAGEOUS CLIMBERS scale frozen waterfalls in Canada, as the ice threatens to collapse beneath them .
REAL LIFE ELF - WOMAN HAS EARS POINTED TO LOOK LIKE AN ELF
A Canadian woman who is obsessed with all things mythical has had her ears cut and shaped to look like an ELF .
LEAPING WOOD MOUSE
LEAPING through the air this determined little mouse is on a mission for food .
SISTERS BOTCHED NOSE JOBS AND £19.5K SURGERY BILL
Two sisters from Hampshire who suffered botched nose jobs have spent £19 .
MENINGITIS TOT TAKES FIRST STEPS ON NEW LEGS
A little girl who lost all four limbs to meningitis has taken her first steps since the illness thanks to her new 'Princess legs' .
BOSTON MARATHON PICTURES
T least three people have been killed and more than 100 injured, some seriously, in two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon .
LONDON LANDSCAPES PHOTOGRAPHED FROM ROOFTOPS
A British photographer has captured the beauty of London in a stunning series of landscapes shots .