IT can’t be often that North Yorkshire appears on NASA’s radar, but in January thousands of tonnes of tyres at a recycling centre in Sherburn-in-Elmet caught fire and the resulting 6,000 foot pall of smoke was visible from space.

Public Health England warned people to close doors and windows; the fire took weeks to fully extinguish.

Chelsea Vove Child gave birth at York Hospital. Nothing unusual in that, except Chelsea had no idea she was pregnant and only called in to be checked for a possible infection.

A woman who kept 200 snakes was banned from keeping reptiles for a year after admitting nine animal neglect offences. A driver was caught on camera as he sped along with no hands on the wheel at 60mph. He was later banned.

York fundraisers Charlie’s Angels reach the £100,000 mark to help patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Astrophysics student Gillian Finnerty, from Tholthorpe, was shortlisted for the first human mission to Mars.

York’s digital revolution was recognised after statistics showed the city has seen growth levels far above the national average; Tour de France fever struck early as 20,000 tickets for the Grand Départ at York Racecourse went in four and a half hours. There was similar demand for Yorkshire Marathon places; all went quickly despite an extra 1,000 being created.

Plans to improve Newgate Market were made available, and work finally got under way at the former Terry’s factory site.

More than 1,500 runners took part in the Brass Monkey half-marathon; York Designer Outlet reported record festive sales. Thousands braved torrential rain to visit 60 free attractions during Residents’ Festival. Holocaust Memorial Day was marked at Clifford’s Tower with a candlelit ceremony.