York teenager Caroline Stuttle was found murdered under a bridge in Queensland, Australia. The 19-year-old, on a backpacking holiday, was probably robbed and thrown off, police said.

The parents of 14-year-old Jamie Bucknell, who died of a heart attack, were outraged by Strensall parish councillors' decision to ban the design of his cemetery headstone. It was one case among many of grieving relatives clashing with rulebound cemetery officials highlighted by the Evening Press this year.

An investigation was launched after thugs were allowed to smash up a community centre in Heworth, York, because there were no police officers to stop them.

York plane spotter Andy Jenkins received a three-year prison sentence on espionage charges in Greece. He was among six British plane spotters to be found guilty of spying after being arrested at a Greek air force base. They were freed pending an appeal.

Thousands queued through the night to file past the Queen Mother's coffin. The funeral route was lined by an estimated one million mourners.

David Beckham broke his metatarsal bone - sending the nation's football fans into anguish only weeks before the World Cup.

To make matters worse, it was revealed that manager Sven Goran Eriksson was having an affair with TV presenter and fellow Swede Ulrika Jonsson.