Shropshire - the year in pictures

As 2008 draws to a close, we look back at some of the major events from around the county that have made the Shropshire Star headlines this year.

Foster mansion tragedy: During the summer, headlines were dominated by the county's most shocking and tragic story this year. Debt-ridden businessman Chris Foster shot his wife Jill and daughter Kirstie, as well as the family's pets, before setting fire to his mansion Osbaston House in Maesbury, near Oswestry, and turning the gun on himself. Their funerals took place last week.nextpage

Region battered by downpours: Emergency services were kept at full stretch across Shropshire and Mid Wales in September as heavy rain and flooding caused havoc. On September 6, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service fielded over 100 weather-related calls involving waterlogged homes and vehicles trapped in floods. nextpageShrewsbury." class="imageframe imgaligncenter" height="390" src="http://www.shropshirestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/11mandyposter.jpg" title="A missing person poster put up in Shrewsbury." width="247"/>

Police confirm river body is Mandy: Police confirmed on October 31 that the body of a woman discovered in the River Severn near Bridgnorth was that of missing Mandy Franks after a massive search for her was launched. Mandy, from Shrewsbury, went missing on October 4 after she left Montgomery's Tower bar. An inquest hearing is due to take place in March.nextpage

Kate and Gin have got talent: Although they were pipped to the winning spot by break dancer George Sampson, dancing duo Kate Nicholas, from Norbury, near Whitchurch, and her dog Gin, were an instant hit on this year's Britain's Got Talent series. The pair have since appeared across the county to an army of fans. nextpage

Alarm at growing pub closures list: Shropshire pubs were hit hard by a combination of the smoking ban and competition from supermarkets this year. In July, we reported on an alarming trend for pub closures in St Georges, Telford, just one area hit by the pub trade crisis. nextpage

Park pervert patrol shock: Controversy was sparked when council staff on the lookout for paedophiles were ordered to stop and quiz lone adults in Telford Town Park in September. The policy came to light after two environmental campaigners dressed as penguins were thrown out of the park whilst handing out leaflets on climate change. Today, council bosses admitted that mistakes had been made in the row over quizzing childless adults in the park.

Fire wrecks pizza restaurant: Meole Brace retail park had to be evacuated on May 27 as a fire blazed through Pizza Hut. The intense heat completely gutted the premises, and one eye witness said the flames rose 10ft above the roof. Firefighters believed the fire was caused by an electrical fault in the roof. The restaurant finally reopened in September following a major refurbishment.nextpage

Mystery over body found in bog: Workmen were shocked to find the partly-clothed skeletal remains of a body at an Albrighton nature reserve in February. The discovery sparked a major investigation and DNA test results finally revealed the identity of 58-year-old Malcolm Thomas, who went missing from his home in Hemel Hempstead in May 2007. nextpage

Detectives swoop on county drug factory: More than 1,000 cannabis plants were discovered when detectives raided a warehouse in Stafford Park in October. The warehouse, which formed part of a huge drug-growing operation, was packed with plants "worth hundreds of thousands of pounds".nextpage

Chip shop killer begins prison sentence: Double killer Sukhdev Singh (pictured centre), began a prison sentence in November for the manslaughter of two colleagues in a flat above Shawbury Fish Bar last December. He claimed he killed them out of fear and was convicted at the end of a three-week trial at Stafford Crown Court in October.nextpage

Jet failure causes big bang: Police were inundated with calls from confused Shrewsbury residents after a sonic boom was heard over the town in January. Residents had initially feared an explosion or earthquake but an RAF spokesman later confirmed the boom was caused when a Typhoon Eurofighter performed an emergency descent above the town, breaking the sound barrier.nextpage

Town welcomes troops home: Shropshire crowds turned out in force along the streets of Shrewsbury in October, to welcome home soldiers of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, following their six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.nextpage

Drinker shot in the head at pub: A 60-year-old customer was shot in the head at the Station Hotel in Ironbridge in February, after a gunman fired an air rifle through the window from a moving car. The man survived to tell of his terrifying ordeal and said he'd had a very lucky escape. Pictured: Bar manager Chris Stokes pictured outside the pub.nextpage

Death fear of girl trapped in mud: Teenager Antonia Weaver told rescuers how she'd feared for her life after getting trapped up to her waist in thick mud while she walked near the Hinkshay pools in Dawley in July. Antonia was rescued, suffering from hypothermia, when her screams were finally answered by her uncle and a team of firefighters. Picture: Shropshire Fire & Rescue.nextpage

UFO sighting over army barracks: In June, Corporal Mark Proctor from the First Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, reported seeing strange lights in the skies over the Tern Hill Barracks near Market Drayton, where he was on patrol. The sighting was investigated by the Ministry of Defence and reported in the national press. It was just one of a series of alleged UFO sightings across the county this year - see the UFO Map for more.nextpage

Another muddy V Festival: Fans packed into Weston Park in August to see a host of top music acts from the Lost Prophets to the Sugababes. However it was another muddy affair as heavy rain turned the venue to a quagmire, but most of the fans didn't seem to mind!nextpage

Paul Simpson takes the reigns at ProStar: Former Rochdale, Carlisle and Preston boss Paul Simpson stepped in to replace Gary Peters as the new Shrewsbury Town boss in March. Simpson quickly secured the fans' respect and has lead the Shrews to a tremendous series of victories this year, both at home and away.nextpage

County hits a cold snap: Shropshire's icy cold snap brought with it the earliest lying snow for more than 70 years as temperatures in October hovered around freezing level. Shropshire star weatherman, John Warner, said there hadn't been an inch of lying snow in Shropshire since October 31, 1934.nextpage

Conjoined twins born to county couple: In late November, Shrewsbury teenager Laura Williams, 18, became the youngest woman ever to give birth to conjoined twins. Laura had a Caesarian section after defying medical advice to abort the twins early in her pregnancy. After a complicated operation to separate the twins at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, baby Hope sadly died, whilse baby Faith remains in a critical but stable condition.nextpage

Town's fury at chav slur: Civic leaders in Telford retaliated in April after a scathing attack on the town was featured on spoof website Uncyclopedia. The article branded Telford "a world leader in the production and reproduction of chavs" and sparked mass debate amongst the town's residents.