WOMB STROKE SURVIVOR AMAZES DOCS BY TAKING FIRST STEPS
WOMB STROKE SURVIVOR AMAZES DOCS BY TAKING FIRST STEPS - A little girl who suffered a catastrophic stroke in the womb which would have killed an adult has stunned the medical world by learning to walk, talk and see. When Caitlin McLaughlin was born, her mother Sharon was told she had suffered a massive stroke in the womb which would leave her daughter blind and unable to walk or speak. But now, aged three, Caitlin is amazing medics with her incredible progress having learnt to speak, walk and even retrain parts of her brain so that she can see. Sharon, 32, and husband Shaun, 36, were devastated to be told Caitlin had suffered a stroke so severe that it would have killed the average adult instantly. Doctors said their daughter had suffered severe brain damage and that her future was one of profound mental and physical disability. Sharon said: "We were told by two different consultants that she would never be able to walk, so her progress and that fact that she has come this far really is amazing.
Other great stories
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: SWIMMING WITH SHARKS
Armed with a snorkel, flippers and her skimpy bikini, an intrepid female free diver swims alongside an array of reef sharks .
CALIFORNIAN GHOST TOWN OF BODIE HILLS FROZEN IN TIME
An intrepid photographer travelled to the abandoned ghost town of Bodie in northern California to capture the historic buildings that are trapped in time .
WOMAN RESPONDS TO TROLLS AFTER BEING DUBBED 'SWAMP CREATURE'
A young makeup artist has hit back at vile internet trolls who dubbed her a 'swamp creature' and 'ugly' for exposing her troubled skin in online makeup tutorials .
HIDDEN HIMALAYAN FESTIVAL
A quiet Himalayan mountain village springs to life for a colourful Buddhist festival designed to expel evil spirits and bring happiness .
LAZY LEOPARD
Sprawled out on top of a log, this sleeping leopard takes a relaxing break from his daily routine .
HAPPILY UN-COUPLED - JILTED WOMAN THROWS DIVORCE PARTY
A woman has celebrated the end of her marriage to her unfaithful husband by throwing herself a DIVORCE PARTY .
ADORABLE HARVEST MOUSE CLIMBS DANDELION
Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .
AVATAR-STYLE WISTERIAS WILL LEAVE YOU FEELING TREE-UMPHANT
A TEN-THOUSAND square foot wide Avatar-style grove is such a beauty it will leave you feeling VINE .
RIVET-ING ALL WOOD TOWER
WELCOME to what could be the world's tallest TOTALLY wooden construction .
WOMAN PARALYSED BY EX CAMPAIGNS AGAINST CYBERSTALKING
A woman who was cyberstalked before being shot and paralysed by her ex-husband is campaigning to raise awareness for stalking victims .
AERIAL PICTURES OF FURTHER FLOODING AS HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES
An aerial view of flooding in Gloucestershire .
FISH FIGHT
FINALLY catching a meal, a pair of great white egrets fight over their dinner .