Korean Mass Games

These are the amazing close up pictures of North Korea's mass games - after photographers were previously banned from taking shots so close to the dazzling formation dances.They feature over 100,000 people in the performing art displays that include tens of thousands of gymnasts synchronizing movements in line with a background of card-turners who entertain spectators. About 20,000 of them form the background to the show holding large books whose pages flip simultaneously to produce the huge displays.The rapid change of images sees one card exchanged for another in a swift and synchronized movement that takes hours of rehearsals and detailed choreography.Photographer Werner Kranwetvogel, 40, captured the stunning shots after he gained rare access to the communist country's public displays.

Other great stories
GOING BALLISTIC - 15 FOOT RED BALL ARTIST

This is the crazy art project that is going ballistic - placing a huge squishy 15ft red ball into tight spaces .

CHERNOBYL - 28 YEARS ON

TOMORROW (Saturday) marks the 28th anniversary of the nuclear disaster that left the city of Chernobyl devastated .

A HOLE LOT OF TROUBLE! - WOMAN HAS PHOBIA OF HOLES

Meet mother of four, Jackie Wright, whose bizarre fear means she is terrified of HOLES .

STUNNING ENGLISH COASTAL LANDSCAPES

WITH STUNNING colours and serene scenes, these photographs capture the otherworldly beauty of the English coast .

HUNGRY HIPPO MISSES OUT ON LUNCH

A hungry hippo is seconds away from catching a bird in its gigantic jaws .

BOY WHOSE BRAIN GREW IN NOSE IS REAL-LIFE PINOCCHIO

A little boy whose brain grew inside his nose has been described as the 'real-life Pinocchio' by his proud mum .

AMAZING AURORA BOREALIS

A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .

MY MUM DONATED HER KIDNEY TO MY HUBBY – HIS LIFE IS TRANSFORMED

In 2021, Anneka Watkinson, now 37, from Lancashire, met Chris, now 40 .

MAN DODGES DANGER TO COMMUTE ON PENNY FARTHING

Meet the Victorian gentleman who could not face sitting next to smelly commuters on the bus - so he dodges danger to go to work on a penny farthing .

BIKINI DIVER SWIMS WITH SHARKS

ARMED with her camera, bikini and flippers, this brave diver goes swimming with SHARKS .

BULLIES MADE MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ANOREXIC

A mum has warned of the dangers of child eating disorders, after her 10-year-old daughter developed anorexia when school bullies branded her ‘FAT’ .

ADORABLE SQUIRREL GETS READY FOR A SNOWBALL FIGHT

ROLLING up snow in its tiny paws, this little squirrel is looking for a snowball fight .