The mother of a young woman stabbed 26 times by her ex-partner for having a secret abortion has told how her daughter was cruelly betrayed by her own social worker .

The lighthouses of Brittany, from Brest to Le Conquet, stand tall on France’s north-western coast against stunning scenery .

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 .

A pair of bank myna birds fight it out in front of their ladies .

With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .

FROM ICE bubbles to boiling lava, these photographs highlight the stunning shapes and patterns found in nature .

A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .

A fox takes a tumble and lands on his head when he tries to fend off a pair of eagles in Japan .

A photographer has captured stunning photographs of the Milky Way above picturesque landscapes in the UK and Italy .

A talented artist has created artwork with a KICKIN' twist by painting on his pregnant wife's bump .

THIS may look like a dolphin through jumping hoops, but it is in fact nothing more than a clever 3D pencil drawing .

A professional dancer has embraced her individuality after refusing plastic surgery to remove a giant birthmark on her face .