THE million British soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War were remembered at a poignant Festival of Remembrance at the York Barbican.

A day later The Royal British Legion’s Ted Griffiths – who had earned the nickname Mr Poppy for his unstinting work in organising the annual festival – died suddenly at his home in Heworth, aged 95. His family said he had been reading the report in The Press about the previous day’s Festival at the time.

A giant bonfire – with an unusual “Tour de France” guy in the scape of a blazing bicycle – was lit to mark Bonfire Night celebrations at the York Maze. And Press photographer Anthony Chappel-Ross captured an extraordinary photograph of firefighters rescuing a pig trapped when a lorry carrying 200 of the animals overturned after colliding with another lorry on the outskirts of York.

It emerged that the city council had made a £187,000 loss on its Grand Departy Tour de France celebration concert. Business leaders united to launch a lobbying campaign to press Whitehall for £200 million to dual York’s outer ring road – and York pizza chef Ana Sirbu revealed how she had shed a staggering 19 stone in just a year.

York bobby PC Tony Morton won a Royal Humane Society award for saving the life of Selby one-year-old Harry Robinson, who had stopped breathing. PC Morton called an ambulance, then massaged Harry’s chest and breathed into his mouth until paramedics arrived. And City of York Council leader James Alexander announced he was to quit, after getting a new job with the Labour party nationally.

NHS staff picketed York Hospital during national strike action over pay. And the very best of York business was celebrated at Knavesmire in the annual Press Business Awards.