Our top stories from Leigh in 2014

From the success of the Centurions to Elton John flying in on his helicopter and traffic chaos caused by the guided busway works there have been many highs and lows this year.

Here are some of the events that have stood out for the Leigh Journal team:

January

The family of Cory Peyton, an Atherton teenager paralysed by a tragic accident on holiday, launch an appeal to raise £20,000 to help him walk again http://bit.ly/1zQgwnC.

Cory and mum Michelle

Wigan Council announced that they would name a road after Hindley Green teenager Jamie Hancock who was killed while serving in Iraq http://bit.ly/1JMVdZw.

Michael Cope admits killing his ex-girlfriend Linzi Ashton after he was arrested in Leigh http://bit.ly/13zyy1N. He was later jailed for a minimum of 27 years http://bit.ly/1zQhgJo.

February

There was public condemnation when a pensioner was fined for littering after feeding pigeons in Leigh town centre http://bit.ly/1AUTj3h.

The family of Andy Openshaw, a dad-of-two from Leigh launched a £30,000 appeal to pay for an air ambulance to bring him home after an accident in Tenerife left him on a life support machine http://bit.ly/1zelUhu.

A couple were given suspended sentences and banned for life from keeping animals after a pack of 15 ‘feral’ dogs were found at their Tyldesley home http://bit.ly/13zzZgR.

March

Conman Simon Hayes, from Leigh, was jailed for defrauding vulnerable victims of more than £150,000 http://bit.ly/1JMYPLl.

A parade to mark the anniversary of the Golborne pit disaster went ahead after the community cam together to raise money to pay for it http://bit.ly/1Hu7eiF.

Golborne Brass Band

An inquest found that 12-year-old Connor Donaldson from Astley died as a result of an allergic reaction to a takeaway curry http://bit.ly/1GSyTLL.

April

Former soldier Daniel Mitchell announced that he would run the Manchester 10k for Help for Heroes – with a fridge full of beer strapped to his back http://bit.ly/1CA76gF.

An inquest ruled that failures at the Young Offenders' Institution in Hindley comtributed to the death of teenager Jake Hardy http://bit.ly/1zenZK8.

Several dogs were reported to have died from a mystery illness called Alabama Rot http://bit.ly/1xd3Its.

May

An inquest into the death of Loui Aspinall who drowned in a pool at a holiday resort in Tunisia led area coroner Alan Walsh to call the Federation of Tour Operations to review its guidelines http://bit.ly/1wCC33f.

Rescuers re-homed more than 3,000 chickens after a lorry carrying 6,000 birds crashed on the M6 http://bit.ly/1E6pMcj.

Fears of Alabama Rot increased after it was confirmed that five dogs in the area had died from the disease http://bit.ly/1zsvi6n.

Gary Hallows who's dog Sally died from the illness

June

Marc Hope was jailed for 12 months for burglary after police managed to trace him using DNA from the scene because he cut his arm on a spike while fleeing http://bit.ly/1reuNd8.

Married teacher at an Atherton school Andrew Welsh was spared jail after having an affair with a pupil that ended when her mum found him hiding under her daughter’s bed http://bit.ly/1zswaI2.

World-renowned superstar Sir Elton John wowed a 17,000-strong audience at Leigh Sports Village http://bit.ly/1B14AP7.

July

Prince Edward paid a visit to Hindley to open a new centre at Wigan and Leigh Hospice http://bit.ly/1xH9UcU.

The Journal said goodbye to news editor Brian Gomm after 44 years at the paper http://bit.ly/1wCCBpK.

A man was stabbed in the groin outside the Pound Pub in Atherton http://bit.ly/1wZb9Cz.

August

Leigh Centurions clinched the League Leaders Shield with a 48-18 win over Featherstone Rovers http://bit.ly/16M7L4e.

Police launched a murder investigation after the body of a woman was found buried in the back garden of a Leigh home http://bit.ly/1E6sLBu.

The house on Wigan Road, Leigh

There was widespread anger after Wigan and Leigh College announced it would no longer be offering A-level courses on the day students turned up to enrol http://bit.ly/1zeroZC.

September

Patrick Roach was called a ‘professional criminal’ by a judge who jailed him after a sawn-off shotgun was found in the back of his van http://bit.ly/1vjaiZb.

A petition was launched by Tyldesley residents and councillors calling on Cllr Robert Bleakley to resign after he was found to have sent ‘sexist’ messages from his council phone http://bit.ly/1zes9BW.

Residents celebrated after months of campaigning saw a planning application for up to 100 houses rejected by the council’s planning committee http://bit.ly/1zQomNU.

October

Leigh Centurions celebrate their second trophy of the season after winning the Grand Final against Featherstone Rovers at Headingley Carnegie http://bit.ly/1wgOGfj.

Transport bosses announced a review of road closures to facilitate work on the guided busway after hundreds of Tyldesley and Leigh residents complained of gridlock http://bit.ly/1vjbonR.

A £900,000 facelift for Leigh’s main shopping street was announced by Wigan Council http://bit.ly/1sThyKt.

November

Dean Farrimond was jailed for eight years after taking a lethal cocktail of drink and drugs and driving on the wrong side of the road moments before a fatal crash in Leigh http://bit.ly/13zKG2Q.

Taxi driver Kenneth Grimshaw and young mum Emma Houghton were killed in the crash

Work on the guided busway on Tyldesley Market Square was halted after residents voiced their opposition to the plan at a public meeting http://bit.ly/1rexzz2.

Leigh Centurions announce the signing of legendary Tongan forward Fui Fui Moimoi http://bit.ly/16Mb4Zs.

December

Armed robbers flee from a Leigh shop on push bikes after stealing the till http://bit.ly/1zZrhFq.

Thomas Flanagan is jailed for 11 years after he pleads guilty to the manslaughter of his wife Elaine and burying her in the back garden http://bit.ly/1GSMgLP.

A trader at Manchester Christmas markets, Danny Parkinson, from Leigh, is hailed as a ‘legend’ after giving a starving family a free meal http://bit.ly/1BYpsaM.