2018 has been another busy year for our city, and here at Blog Preston we’ve continued to keep you updated with all the latest news and events.

We’re taking a look back at the biggest stories of the year in a series of posts, starting here with January to March’s headlines.

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The first three months of 2018 saw some upsetting events happening across Preston.

Read more: The crimes, deaths and court cases that shocked Preston in 2018

As ever in our proud city there were also many uplifting stories and exciting developments. Here’s a round up of the most popular articles.

January

The helicopter and underwater search for a missing Preston man was Blog Preston’s most-read story in January.

Lancashire Police confirmed via social media that the activity was part of the search for 19-year-old Michael Brooks, who had gone missing from Avenham Park on 14 January.

Tragically, it was later confirmed that a body found in the River Ribble was that of Michael Brooks. The death was not treated as suspicious.

There was uproar from readers when we reported that the Dog and Partridge was closing its doors.

The famous Friargate pub shut on 31 December 2017 with a spokesperson saying ” the pub hasn’t been making any money”. It reopened on 10 January under new management, and after another brief closure was taken over by a father and son team in December.

Also of interest to readers in January was the news that a £1.2 million go-kart track in Bamber Bridge had been given the green light.

The track opened in June after six months of building work, creating 40 new jobs.

February

On 18 February we reported how a man was in hospital after being stabbed in the stomach in Deepdale.

Members of the public had pinned down the suspect after the attack at a house in Skeffington Road. The victim was taken to Royal Preston Hospital where he was reported to have been in a serious but stable condition.

Our Valentine’s Day story about why hearts were appearing across Fishergate was a popular read.

No. 10 Preston, the Theatre Street aparthotel, decorated the streets to say thank you to the people of Preston for their support since its opening in April 2017.

Blog Preston readers are always keen to hear about new eateries in the city, and our story about Roast opening for the first time in Preston was unsurprisingly well-read.

The rotisserie opened in Orchard Street on 9 February, and has since fed thousands of hungry Prestonians, including homeless people and emergency service workers on Christmas Day.

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March

The shocking story of a teenage girl being punched in the face in Fulwood was our most-read article in March.

The 14-year-old girl was walking to her grandmother’s house when she was approached by a man. She was knocked unconscious and had her cheekbone fractured in the apparently unprovoked attack.

Another crime story became of interest to readers when police issued a warning about fake £20 notes circulating in Preston.

A series of notes had been identified as having improper serial numbers. Police acted to encourage local business to be vigilant, and also offered advice on how to spot a fake note.

Finally in March, our piece exploring why you can’t drive north at M6 Junction 31a was another popular read.

We spoke to Highways England who explained that only the southbound route was built in the 1990s due to demand coming from that direction, and budgets being tight. There are still no plans to build a northbound route.

Read more: See the most read stories from April to June this year

What was your most memorable story of 2018? Let us know in the comments below.