She was the 18th century celebrity who made men faint in awe of her beauty by her very presence. But her beauty - and her vanity - led to her demise as the lead-based make-up she insisted on plastering on daily resulted first in the loss of her looks, then deadly blood poisoning. Now the grand 7ft mirror in which Maria Gunning, the former Countess of Coventry, admired her stunning reflection has been auctioned off for more than £300,000. Labelled the first victim of vanity, Maria died aged 27 in 1760 after her love of make-up resulted in her untimely death. The 253-year-old mirror sold well above its estimate even though her condition meant she the society hostess used it for a matter of just months. A glorious George II giltwood overmantel design, it was bought for her by her husband The Sixth Earl of Coventry in 1759, who is said to have been so frustrated by his wife's love of make up that he would chase her around the dinner table with a handkerchief, trying wipe it from her face.
A luxury caravan with a price tag of ONE MILLION DOLLARS is due to hit the road later this year .
A BABY-faced burglar is starting a seven year stretch in custody after being nabbed by a Jaffa Cake .
Daniel Blore, 21, of Innage Crescent, Bridgnorth, stabbed his mother three times in the attack on January 11 this year, Stafford Crown Court heard .
If you're ever struggling to find a use for your old VHS tapes you might want to take a tip from this innovative artist .
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 .
An American woman whose skin turned silver after using nose drops is warning people of the dangers of medicines containing the metal .
A mother-of-two has revealed how her son became a human fireball after a dangerous 'TikTok challenge' went wrong .
A Hereford woman has lost 10st 3lbs after ditching her £260-a-month takeaway habit .
LOCATIONS bursting with vibrant greens and chestnut browns, these photographs capture the peaceful English countryside in all its glory .
THIS incredible shimmer of silver fish mirrors the image of that of an underwater tornado .
Some parents would gasp at the thought of their children playing with a toy gun, but these Russian children are actually encouraged to take up real arms .
Here's a APPY solution that should brighten up a wet weekend away camping - a wood powered stove that also recharges your smartphone .