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.
BEAUTIFULLY lit by the dim glow of lanterns, a cave in Iceland is transformed into the perfect wedding venue .
A 20st mum-of-four who was dangerously obese has lost half her body weight after her son drew her as a BLOB at school .
ROLLING across a 65-metre-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings .
THESE kaleidoscopic-like photographs capture England’s churches and cathedrals in all their glory .
THIS is the fascinating abandoned house, complete with mystery portraits and homely items, that has been dubbed - crooked cottage .
An adorable rescue dog who had her eyes gouged out by thugs in Romania has found a loving home in the UK .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
A British photographer has captured the beauty of London in a stunning series of landscapes shots .
Is your cat bored? Do his usual playthings simply not do it for him anymore? Not to worry - there's an app for that .
High street giant Harvey Nichols has come under fire for a "disgusting" ad campaign that depicts a woman peeing herself .
A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post .
An intrepid explorer hopes to be reunited with his travel partner, after his cuddly toy companion was stolen .