It's been an exciting 12 months for Huddersfield — and now 2015 is coming to an end.

The last 12 months have seen some amazing stories on the front pages of the Examiner, from inspiring people and their achievements to shock council housing plans and schemes to transform Huddersfield town centre.

We also welcomed the Tour de Yorkshire cyclists, covered an unpredictable General Election, met David Cameron and praised Huddersfield heroes at the Examiner Community Awards.

Scroll through our timeline of 2015, featuring some of the most important news stories of the year.

Time Line

January

  1. Scout's honour

    Modest hero Andrew Armitage from Holmfirth received an honour from the scouts for battling for 30 minutes to save the life of a stricken cyclist.

  2. Tesco no go

    Tesco confirmed it would not build a new store in Huddersfield town centre on the site of the old Huddersfield Sports Centre. Huddersfield was one of 49 new stores that have now been canned.

  3. 30ft drop car terror

    A woman spoke of her terror after her car skidded out of control in the snow and was left hanging precariously over a 30ft drop. The drama happened as the 26-year-old was driving along the A62 Standedge Cutting between Marsden and Oldham.

  4. Hospitals hire 'troubleshooter'

    Hospital chiefs in Huddersfield and Calderdale were ordered to recruit a top NHS troubleshooter after it was revealed the health trust could be as much as £4m in the red in 2015.

Time Line

February

  1. "Bus gates" announced

    It was announced that some of Huddersfield town centre’s main roads will be closed to traffic to ease the flow of buses and make life easier for pedestrians. Drivers caught flouting the restrictions will face £60 penalty fines.

  2. £27.5m flagship building for University

    University chiefs unveiled their plans for a flagship building on their Huddersfield campus.

    The new School of Law on the prominent Shorehead represents a further £27.5 million investment and is due to be completed in September 2016.

  3. Dean Hoyle bankrolls Town

    Huddersfield Town chairman Dean Hoyle has bankrolled the club to the tune of over £37.2m in the last six years.

    The Championship club lost £6.8m last year compared with £4m in the previous 12 months.

  4. Royds Hall expansion

    Councillors backed a £7.9m plan to develop the primary section of the Royds Hall Community School.

    It will be built in the grounds of the existing high school, offering places for 420 youngsters, and is set to open in September 2016.

  5. Mass killer Shahid Mohammed arrested

    The man suspected of being behind Huddersfield’s worst-ever mass murder has been arrested in Pakistan. Detectives were anxious to bring 32-year-old Shahid Mohammed back to West Yorkshire to face justice for the deaths of eight people — including five children — in a house blaze at Osborne Road in Birkby in May 2002.

Time Line

March

  1. Bruce Gapper murder investigation

    Detectives launched a murder investigation nearly 16 years to the day since a Huddersfield lorry driver vanished. Bruce Roger Gapper, 40, was last seen on March 14, 1999, outside his home in Groves Hall Road, Dewsbury Moor, by a neighbour.

  2. DIY SOS help Holmbridge stroke survivor Richard Ford

    Stroke victim Richard Ford, his wife Jude and young sons said the revamp of their Holmbridge home changed their lives. An army of 150 helpers transformed the family home to help former police officer Richard. The TV show was screened just before Christmas.

  3. Wooltex UK expands

    A textile firm created 56 new jobs as part of multi-million pound expansion plans.Wooltex UK, based at Longwood, wanted to have a 100-strong workforce by the end of the year.

  4. New primary school at Crosland Moor

    A new primary school is set to be built in Huddersfield catering for 630 children. The new school will be built on the Moor End Academy site at Crosland Moor for children aged four and upwards.

  5. Dalton Grange demolition outrage

    The handsome Gothic building, situated off Bradley Mills Road between Bradley Mills and Rawthorpe, was built in 1870 was used until recently as a social club by former employees of ICI, Zeneca and Syngenta. But Syngenta said it no longer had a use for the building.

Time Line

April

  1. Family reunion after three-year immigration battle

    A family has finally been reunited in Huddersfield after an agonising three-year immigration battle. It has meant that a young boy living 6,000 miles away from his mum is now finally back with her. John Fletcher’s stepson, Gemah, was left with grandparents in Indonesia for three years – 6,000 miles away from his mother, Ana.

  2. Cameron comes to Huddersfield - but hides

    Tory leader David Cameron came to Huddersfield … but only a select few really saw him.

    And that did not include Examiner reporter Joanne Douglas who was prevented from following the Tory leader on his factory visit. After the Examiner complained Mr Cameron apologised and gave Joanne a full interview when he returned to this area a few days later.

  3. Chloe Knapton attacked

    This was Chloe Knapton’s face after she was subjected to a shocking attack in Holmfirth. The 21-year-old’s family released the images following extensive treatment in hospital after the incident in Netherthong.

    Her attacker, Andrew Shires, was later given a suspended one year sentence after admitting grievous bodily harm and was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid community service.

  4. Council cuts mowing budget

    Kirklees Council looked to to save money by cutting grass verges, playgrounds and playing fields once a fortnight instead of once a week and leaving some parts to grow wild. Between April and June the council cut back – whether the public liked it or not.

  5. Nepal quake scare for Huddersfield trekker

    The mother of Himalayan trekker Laura Wood told of her relief after her daughter’s lucky escape from the earthquake in Nepal which claimed more than 2,500 lives.

    Mum-of-three Jane Wood, of Scapegoat Hill, said she was upset after hearing of the 7.8 magnitude quake which struck just before midday, sending tremors through the Kathmandu Valley and the nearby city of Pokhara.

    But she relaxed when daughter Laura, 25, sent her a text message saying: “Don’t worry, mum, I’m OK.”

Time Line

May

  1. Tour de Yorkshire

    The Tour de Yorkshire certainly inspired young cyclists.

    Colne Valley folk turned out in their thousands to cheer on the Tour peloton as it hit Marsden and Slaithwaite before the climb up to the ‘Cote de Scapegoat’. Spectators lined the streets 10-deep in Slaithwaite village centre, all enjoying the sunshine that broke out just minutes before the cyclists arrived.

  2. First look at new Leisure Centre

    With just seven days to go before the new Huddersfield Leisure Centre opened we gave readers an exclusive insight into the full range of activities and how they looked.

    Centre manager Hazel Francis said everything had been meticulously planned.

  3. Farnley Tyas Country Park plans revealed

    An ambitious plan was unveiled for a huge activity park in Huddersfield’s countryside.  The 6,000-acre site in the Farnley Tyas area would include walking, cycling, riding and an adventure playground – but hundreds of homes would have to be built on green belt land to fund it.

  4. Tesco pays £18m to back out of land deal

    Tesco bought itself out of a multi-million pound deal to buy the old Huddersfield sports centre land.

    The retailer agreed a deal with Kirklees Council that will see the council retain the land, get more land back to sell on plus get a lump sum from Tesco. It was later revealed Tesco paid £18m.

Time Line

June

  1. Roads to get worse — £1.2m budget cuts

    Drivers have been warned: “Our roads will get worse.” Kirklees councillors had to agree to a £1.2m cut in funds for the highways budget and admitted it could mean roads will close because they cannot be repaired.

  2. Yorkshire Air Ambulance scoops Examiner Community Award

    The Yorkshire Air Ambulance received the Achievement Award at the Examiner Community Awards.

    The helicopter crews have been responsible for many lifesaving missions in Huddersfield, rescuing young and old alike. And in return they have earned massive support from the people of the town, who have raised well over £1m to keep the aircraft in the air.

  3. Ale Trail crackdown

    Tough action could be taken against drunken revellers on the infamous Ale Trail through the Colne Valley.

    Kirklees Council plan to bring in new control orders to prevent drinking on the streets in villages linked to the trail – and will hand out £100 fines to those who flout the rules.

  4. Huddersfield holidaymaker witnesses Tunisian massacre

    Huddersfield holidaymaker Debbie Horsfall was just feet away from a terrorist gunman who started a bloody massacre.

    The 22-year-old and her friend Ellie Makin from Ripon were on sunbeds in the Tunisian resort of Sousse when the atrocity happened.

Time Line

July

  1. Council writes off £9 MILLION

    Kirklees Council looks like it will have to write off almost £9m owed to it.

    The colossal sum has been racked up by people and businesses failing to pay council tax, business rates, housing and rental payments. A report states: “Unfortunately, there will always be a minority of households who do not pay.”

  2. The comeback kid

    An amazing comeback ended in an outstanding sporting success.

    Last year Ross Mallinson was blind and paralysed after he was struck down by a rare condition that had a major impact on the optic nerves and spinal cord. Yet the 27-year-old won a crown green pairs bowling title with teammate John Greenhalgh.

  3. Concert hall closure

    It was announced that the main concert hall at Huddersfield Town Hall will be closed for five months. Essential work to the roof means no events will be held from March to August in 2016.

  4. M62 gets smart

    The stretch of the trans-Pennine motorway through Huddersfield will become a “smart” motorway over the next five years with the aim of reducing congestion.

    Tens of thousands of drivers travelling the 19 miles between junctions 20 at Rochdale and 25 at Brighouse on the M62 every day could face 50mph speed limits for around two to three years.

  5. Campaigners lose Grimescar Valley fight

    The fight to save a Huddersfield beauty spot is over.

    Councillors voted 4-3 to approve plans for 190 homes at Grimescar Valley despite impassioned speeches from objectors.

Time Line

August

  1. Can you run this school?

    Firms were invited to run a huge new school in Huddersfield.

    For the first time in the town a private company could have a major say in how children are educated. Kirklees Council agreed to build a new 630-place primary school to serve the Crosland Moor and Lockwood area.

  2. £1m revamp of historic St George’s Warehouse

    Developers are poured more than £1m into renovation works at the huge St George's Warehouse alongside the railway station.

    They hope the work will be followed by firms and organisations bringing the building back into use with a possible subway link to the station.

  3. 7,000 more school places over next three years

    Schools across Kirklees and Calderdale face a massive increase in demand for places in the coming years. The Government reckons an extra 7,000 pupils will be needing places in the two boroughs within just three years.

  4. Cummins on the move

    One of Huddersfield’s oldest companies announced plans to set up a new factory on green belt land at Ainley Top.

    Cummins Turbo Technologies wants to move its turbo manufacturing plant from Turnbridge to the site off New Hey Road next to the M62.

Time Line

September

  1. Trinity Kitchen announced

    Plans were unveiled for the future of the Packhorse Centre to turn it into a major eating centre, including the Chinese Buffet, with space for 250 people, and a first-floor 120-seater Packhorse Kitchen.

  2. Overseas search for nurses

    Huddersfield Royal Infirmary said it may have to look thousands of miles away to fill a shortage of experienced nurses.

    Both the hospital and Calderdale Royal in Halifax recruited nurses from within the European Union and wanted the Government to relax its policies on recruiting nurses from outside the European Union.

  3. Postcode Lottery wins in Holmfirth

    James Wilson and his wife Elaine had won £400,000 in the People’s Postcode Lottery — and that 66 others from Holmfirth were also sharing a £2m jackpot.

  4. Bradley Golf Course bombshell

    Planners revealed they want to build 2,000 homes on Bradley Park golf course.

    The revelation is included in a huge new planning blueprint unveiled by Kirklees Council, who need to build a further 20,000 new houses in addition to 10,000 already under way or planned.

Time Line

October

  1. Electrification back on

    Rail bosses gave the go-ahead to major improvement plans on the trans-Pennine line.

    They confirmed the electrification of the line will now go ahead – three months after it was “paused”. It is expected to create six faster trains per hour on the line through Huddersfield and Dewsbury

  2. £3.7m to avoid hospital building 'catastrophe'

    Huddersfield Royal Infirmary must find another £3.7m to avert a ‘catastrophic failure’ sparked by its ageing buildings.

    Health chiefs have calculated that the hospital needs to spend the money on its premises to prevent major disruption to patients as well as safety lapses.

  3. Months of M62 works begin

    The onset of winter has heralded a series of roadworks on the M62 near Huddersfield.

    The work began in October between Junction 26 at Chain Bar through to Junction 22 at Rishworth Moor, including resurfacing, road marking, bridge maintenance and replacing message boards.

  4. Disabled dad-to-be becomes Facebook hero

    An inspirational dad-to-be whose Facebook post about how people think he fakes his ‘invisible disability’ revealed that he found love with a fellow patient despite barely leaving his hospital bed.

    Ste Walker suffered from all five types of Crohn’s disease and had spent all but four weeks of the last 18 months in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Time Line

November

  1. Agency staff bill soars

    The bill for temporary staff at hospitals in Huddersfield and Calderdale will soar to £17m this year – that’s £47,000 a day.

    The cost of agency nurses alone will shoot up more than £1m than last year with agency nurses earning more than £30,000 a year compared to between £16,500 and £24,000 for most qualified nurses.

  2. Examiner's Wagner exclusive after Powell sacked

    In the wake of the sudden departure of Town manager Chris Powell the Examiner revealed that the club was looking very differently for its next one ... and we revealed that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s former right-hand man David Wagner was in the frame.

  3. Kingsgate Leisure announced

    A new development could change the face of Huddersfield town centre.

    Plans for a £17m Kingsgate Leisure project, featuring a cinema and restaurants, have now been submitted to Kirklees Council. It is planned as a huge extension to the Kingsgate shopping centre.

  4. First of the floods

    A driver stranded in deep floodwater in Calder Drive, Mirfield, was one of many to get caught out by torrential rain which hit the region. Elsewhere roads were flooded in many areas of Huddersfield and Calderdale as almost two inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours.

  5. Traffic drama at Great Northern Retail Park

    Drivers have demanded action for the second time in a year after being caught up in gridlock at a Huddersfield retail park.

    Some complained of being stuck for more than an hour-and-a-half trying to leave the Great Northern Retail Park off Leeds Road.

  6. Smiler crash was 'human error'

    The crash on the The Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers which seriously injured a Huddersfield student and four others was caused by “human error.”

    A report by the theme park’s owner Merlin Entertainments confirmed the cause but said “lessons had been learned.” One of those badly injured was Huddersfield University student Joe Pugh.

Time Line

December

  1. Drunk driver went wrong way down M62

    A court case heard that a drunk driver went down the M62 the wrong way near Brighouse before smashing into a detective’s car, leaving her with life-changing injuries.

    Det Sgt Sharon Kaye from Holmfirth had to learn to walk again.

  2. Firefighters brave explosions in Wastecare blaze

    Dozens of firefighters braved a series of explosions to tackle a massive blaze at a waste plant.

    Around 75 were called to WasteCare Ltd off Stainland Road in Greetland. The fire caused chaos to traffic on surrounding roads.

  3. George Hotel for sale... AGAIN

    Huddersfield’s landmark George Hotel is back on the market for £3m more than the current owner paid for it over two years ago.

    Dentist Dr Altaf Hussain has been renovating the landmark building in St George’s Square since he bought it for £900,000 in April 2013.

  4. Boxing Day floods cause devastation

    Huddersfield and Calderdale were hit by flooding on Boxing Day, with roads closed, businesses ruined and communities destroyed after days of heavy rain.

    Homes were evacuated in the worst hit areas of the north of England and David Cameron chaired an emergency meeting of the COBRA committee

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