Shropshire Star

Review of the year: Top stories of 2015 on Shropshirestar.com

Some are tragic, some dramatic, some simply bizarre - but many stories take a life of their own when they land on social media.

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Shropshirestar.com, along with our Facebook and Twitter sites, has followed the main events of 2016 and today we bring you the 20 stories that attracted the most interest.

We've measured the stories in terms of the number of people have read them online, but also on the debate and comments they have inspired.

They range from big events like the fire at The Mill at Alveley to strange moments such as the half marathon that wasn't. As always, though, it is the stories that strike a chord that create the most interest and the story of Jonny Stiles, who almost lost a leg after suffering an infection because of dog mess, is our number one.

You can keep in touch and join the debate today at shropshirestar.com

1. The most popular story of 2015 was of the rugby player who almost lost his foot after picking up an infection from dog mess left on the pitch. Jonny Stiles, who plays for Newport Rugby Club, spent six days in hospital.

Jonny Stiles

2. Hits went through the roof with the discovery of a human skull by workers near a sliproad of the M54 in Shropshire back in August. Searches continued for days and weeks after the discovery and police are appealing for information.

3. In March there was the sad story of a new mother from Shropshire died before she got to hold her twins, 48 hours after giving birth to them. Sophie Burgess was just 19 when she gave birth to Evie and Oliver.

4. Self-styled paedophile hunter Stinson Hunter said he was "blown away" after a jury found a Shropshire bookie he caught in a sting operation guilty of attempting to meet a child he had chatted up online.

Paedophile hunter Stinson Hunter

5. Roads were closed, people were evacuated from their homes and a bomb disposal unit had to make two controlled explosions after a 'suspicious package' was taken to Wellington Police Station. Shropshirestar.com provided readers with video, pictures and live updates back in July.

6. Shropshire Star readers logged on to find out the details of the news that Primark would be opening a new store in Shrewsbury. The fashion giant is planning a 30,300 square foot store in nine units over two floors.

7. Supermarket chain Morrisons announced at the start of the year that is to shut one of its Shropshire branches as it tries to turn its fortunes around. The branch in Telford is one of 10 "unprofitable" stores earmarked for closure.

8. Tributes flooded in for a popular 15-year-old Shropshire boy who tragically died in his sleep in October.

Friends and family were left shocked when Liam Lutner, of Wood Lane, Hinstock, near Market Drayton, died suddenly. Liam attended Woodlands School near Wem.

9. Thousands logged on to see dramatic pictures of the Rednal Karting Centre, near Oswestry, after it was gutted by a blaze in August. The waiting room and workshops at Rednal Karting, just south of Oswestry, were destroyed in the blaze.

10. Heroic council workers saved a baby girl from drowning after her pram fell into the River Severn. Back in February James Williams and Andy Hill leapt into the freezing water when the six-month old girl's pram was caught in a gust of wind. Colleague Mickey Bramwell threw in a lifebuoy.

11. Back in April a 21-year-old woman from Shrewsbury died after taking what police believe are diet pills, bought over the internet. Eloise Aimee Parry fell ill after taking the pills, which were described as "very dangerous".

12. A big cat was spotted in Telford climbing a fence in a Telford garden in May, and many of you logged onto Shropshirestar.com to get the details.

It was the latest reported case of a big cat roaming the town – although none were backed up by photographs.

13. It came suddenly, brought extreme weather all over Shropshire and was gone almost as quickly as it arrived – but lots of you sent us in pictures and video of the now famous storm back in August.

This picture taken by Robin Hartley on his way back to Telford shows a dramatic lightning strike over the M6

14. It's not a view you see every day – a huntsman on his horse trots along a busy dual carriageway in front of startled motorists. It was one of our more bizarre stories from the year when traffic on the A5 was forced to slow down as two men tried to retrieve hounds.

One of the huntsmen is pictured by a Shropshire Star reader on his horse on the A5 dual carriageway near Shrewsbury

15. Many of you logged on as organisers of the Shrewsbury Half Marathon announced an investigation was taking place this summer – after runners claimed the distance was half a mile short.

16. More than 80 firefighters tackled a huge blaze at a derelict three-storey hotel in Shropshire – and Shropshirestar.com really was the place to be. We gave you videos and pictures as the The Mill at Alveley, near Bridgnorth was ablaze.

17. One of our Mid Wales stories has also made it into our top stories for 2015 as the A483 between Newtown and Welshpool was shut as a crane was brought in to lift an articulated lorry out of a canal.

The operation to lift the lorry from the canal

18. A shopper hit out at a supermarket's parking enforcement regime – after she was twice issued with parking fines by mistake. Tracy Newdell was accused of leaving her car at Asda in Telford, for nearly eight hours.

Stirchley resident Tracy Newdell is pictured with two fines she was sent after visiting Asda twice in a day

19. Many tributes were left on the Shropshire Star site after a Shrewsbury Town fan who tried to save his brother has tragically died after being hit by a tube train in London earlier this year. Nick Mann, 35, died in March.

Nick Mann

20. Fuel leakages at the Shrewsbury carnival parade back in June caused chaos, stopping the procession and causing major transport delays. The procession began at about 2.15pm but was stopped in Smithfield Street just 15 minutes later when fuel began leaking from one of the floats.

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