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 personal trainer who was dumped over a life-changing sleep disorder has finally found love .
Vikki Jose, 26 loves nothing more than lavishing gifts on her loved ones at Christmas time .
GUITARISTS that want to lay down some slick licks will soon be able to get their hands on a brand new guitar - made from oil cans .
HOTSPOT MEDIA - FUNKY BUMP: FROM MIRROR bellies to rainbow bumps these pregnancy casts of stone and bronze could be the funkiest way to preserve your bump for posterity .
A curious red squirrel takes a break from collecting nuts and tries her hand at photography .
An American man who suffered horrific third-degree burns to 70 percent of his body in a childhood accident has faced his fears by becoming a firefighter .
Leaping out of the ocean, a group of gentoo penguins fly through the air before landing safely on an iceberg .
A diving mad couple have finally taken the plunge, having tied the knot 30ft underwater .
High street giant Harvey Nichols has come under fire for a "disgusting" ad campaign that depicts a woman peeing herself .
DIVING down at a speed of 75mph, this is the moment a hungry osprey caught his prey .
Swirling water and sand create amazing aerial images of river deltas across Iceland .
A northern potoo shows it is a master of disguise as it perches on a tree stump and blends into the bark .