Pocklington millionaire Reg Bond revealed plans to build an all-weather racecourse on the town's airfield. An even bigger development was proposed for Hungate in York: a £100 million office, leisure and housing complex.

North Yorkshire heart patients were sent letters saying their operations were due to be delayed because of budget problems.

Householder Tony Pemberton successfully sued the couple who sold him his York home for failing to warn him there were "neighbours from hell". Back came the floods.

Firefighters told York University bosses they could face prosecution after the fire alarm was sounded to try to end a campus sit-in by students.

East Riding County Council boss Darryl Stephenson's salary soared by 34.5 per cent to £140,000 at a time when the authority was cutting services.

York Railway Station had to be evacuated as it was battered by strong winds.

Princess Margaret died, aged 71, in her sleep.

A gang of robbers escaped with several million pounds in cash after holding up a security van at Heathrow Airport. Meanwhile, members of the gang who had planned to snatch £200 million worth of diamonds from the Millennium Dome were jailed for between 15 and 18 years.

Pop Idol reached its climax with Will Young pulling off a shock win over Gareth Gates.

Transport Secretary Stephen Byers told MPs that his controversial special adviser, Jo Moore, and civil servant Martin Sixsmith had agreed to resign. Sixsmith later denied that he had voluntarily given his resignation.

A 17-year-old youth was dramatically cleared of the murder of schoolboy Damilola Taylor after a judge threw out the evidence of the prosecution's main witness.

Actor John Thaw, star of The Sweeney, Inspector Morse and Kavanagh QC, died from cancer of the oesophagus, aged 60.

Comedian and writer Spike Milligan, the last of the Goons, died of liver disease, aged 83.