These Halloween horrors were all carved out of humble pumpkins by Ray Villafane and his team of professional sculptors who meticulously carved the terrifying characters using spoons and scalpels. Each one takes on average two hours to complete – with the horrifying results netting Villafane, plus colleagues Andy Bergholtz and Chris Vierra, numerous TV appearances each Halloween. This year the team has gone global travelling to Germany, Switzerland and Hong Kong to create their masterpieces. Photo: A horror face carved out of a pumpkin by Ray Villafane and team in Bellaire, Michigan. (Photo by Ray Villafane/Barcroft Media)

Italian pencil artist Marco Mazzoni‘s work goes far beyond technical perfection. His representation of historical healing women is enigmatic and sublime. Often leaving the eyes blank or covered with an abundance of birds, butterflies and flowers, he gives the impression of a deeper inward focused sight, as well as obscuring the identity of the individual. Many female healers in the past – both medicine woman and midwives – were brutally persecuted by religion, some even burnt as witches… Mazzoni’s work captures their deep connection with nature and their innate power and femininity with delicacy and beautiful detail.

In this handout from the Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force VC10 and Tristar air-to-air refuelling aircraft support the first UK air combat mission in support of UN Resolution 1973 in flight on March 19, 2011. Col Muammar Gaddafi has vowed a “long war” against the “crusader aggression” after over 100 missiles were fired by the US and UK, during multi-national action aimed at enforcing a UN-mandated no-fly zone. (Photo by SAC Neil Chapman/MoD via Getty Images)

“Very small forest-dwelling wallabies are known as pademelons (genus Thylogale) and dorcopsises (genera Dorcopsis and Dorcopsulus). The name wallaby comes from the Eora Aboriginal tribe who were the original inhabitants of the Sydney area. Wallabies are herbivores whose diet consists of a wide range of grasses, vegetables, leaves, and other types of foliage”. – Wikipedia

Photo: A baby wallaby sits in a zoo attendant's lap at Edogawa Natural Zoo on August 4, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. The staff of the zoo have raised the young wallaby after her mother neglected her. (Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)

A Shi'ite worshiper bleeds after cutting his scalp in a ritual display of mourning during an Ashura commemoration ceremony outside Kadhimiya shrine on December 6, 2011 in Baghdad, Iraq. Ashura marks the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson the revered Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq in 680 AD. Shi'ite festivals were prohibited during the time of Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein's rule. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

A humane society have drafted in Star Wars characters to help find adoptable animals new homes. The Ottawa Humane Society in Ontario, Canada, used the recognisable cosplay figures to adorably interact with the likes of dogs, cats and guinea pigs. Photographed by Rohit Saxena, the series featured a stormtrooper, a Tusken Raider and Garindan. Those photographed were members of the 501st Capital City Garrison, a Star Wars costuming group in Eastern Ontario. Here: a Tusken Raider with a cat. (Photo by Rohit Saxena/Caters News)

An unidentified runner gestures while being attended by medical services following the first running of the bulls of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, July 7, 2015. Two runners were gored in the run that lasted 2 minutes and 23 seconds, according to local media. (Photo by Eloy Alonso/Reuters)

Ukrainian servicemen patrol near the humanitarian aid center in Avdiivka, Ukraine, Saturday, February 4, 2017. Fighting in eastern Ukraine sharply escalated this week. Ukraine's military said several soldiers were killed over the past day in shelling in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has escalated over the past week. (Photo by Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo)