THE figures are in for the most read stories from the Halesowen News website over the last 12 months and it is fair to say the more sadder stories were the most popular with readers.

2016 will forever be known as the year of controversial voting and celebrity deaths, and the news in Halesowen hasn’t been much more upbeat either.

January

Masked men armed with metal bars raided an Oldbury store at closing time and forced staff to hand over cash.

Four robbers stormed the Dunelm store, just off Birchley island, close to junction 2 of the M5, but no-one was hurt.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14196013.Masked_men_in_armed_raid_on_Oldbury_store/

February

A police drugs raid was the most read story of the month after a 52-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of drug dealing in Colley Gate.

West Midlands Police carried out a raid in Teme Road this morning and found drugs in the premises.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14257100.Woman_arrested_on_suspicion_of_drug_dealing_in_Colley_Gate/

March

Readers loved that a historic Halesowen pub has been saved with a £250,000 refurbishment creating 14 new jobs.

The Loyal Lodge was transformed by pub operator Punch and publicans Chad and Sarah Hudson.

The Furnace Hill pub was closed for six weeks during the refurbishment and the Mayor of Dudley Councillor Steve Waltho attended its official opening.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14321853.Halesowen_pub_given_new_lease_of_life_with___250_000_refurbishment/

April

A highly-regarded pre-school nursery was given notice to quit after 32 years at a Halesowen school, sparking outrage from bemused parents.

Furious mums and dads greeted the news that the nursery at Manor Way Primary was to close with disbelief and outrage.

Whilst longstanding staff, two of whom have worked there for 27 and 29 years respectively, wept inside, parents at the school gate urged a U-turn by the Windsor Academy Trust, which took over the primary school last October.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14424894.Fury_as_Halesowen_nursery_given_notice_to_quit/

May

A terminally-ill Blackheath grandmother had two dying wishes – to have a family holiday and to be reunited with her long lost brother.

Sharon Dixon, aged 46, had a blood clot which doctors could not treat, and have told her it would eventually travel to a vital organ and kill her.

The mother-of-three, who has four young grandchildren and another on the way, said: “If they tried to get rid of the clot it would break up and could kill me straight away.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14485218.Dying_Blackheath_woman_makes_heartfelt_plea/

June

Cash-strapped Dudley Council was accused of leading the electorate up the garden path after announcing plans to end to weekly bin collections and introduce a charge for the picking up of garden waste.

The controversial would have seen residents charged £30 a year for green waste collections and household rubbish and recycling being collected on alternate weeks but the proposal ended up on the scrap heap after much opposition.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14573559.Outrage_as_Dudley_Council_announce_end_to_weekly_waste_collections_and_charges_for_green_waste_collections/

July

Police closed off part of Halesowen town centre after a woman reportedly threatened to jump off a car park.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "Police closed Pool Road both ends at Queensway and Birmingham Street in Halesowen after receiving reports that a woman was threatening to jump from the multi-storey car park in Pool Road."

The woman was brought down from the car park safely six hours later.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14647988.Part_of_Halesowen_town_closed_closed_off_due_to_potential_suicide_bid/

August

A father-of-two Cradley Heath double glazing worker was found dead in his Netherton home.

Police were called to the Cradley Road property at around 9.40am on August 11 after being alerted by the ambulance service.

Simon Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination revealed the 41-year-old window fitter had died from stab wounds to the chest.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14676855.Police_probe_death_of_Cradley_Heath_double_glazing_worker/

September

A man brutally raped a single mother he "failed to charm".

Jonathan Ngolo ignored the victim's tearful pleas for him to stop and "treated her with contempt", according to Judge James Burbidge QC.

The judge said the 26-year-old had deliberately gone after the woman and "made a significant play for her."

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14748710.Quarry_Bank_rapist_jailed/

October

Travellers moved onto land next to Newfield Park Primary School, Halesowen, causing consternation among local residents.

The school has had to stop using two classrooms and one playground due to the school overlooking travellers on Whittingham Road.

The travellers left after a few days.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14786145.School_forced_to_close_classrooms_as_travellers__set_up_camp_in_Halesowen/

November

A motorist died following a crash on the A456, near Halesowen, in the early hours of November 7.

West Midlands Police were called to reports of a single-car crash on the A456, Quinton Expressway, at around 2.40am.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "A man has been confirmed dead and his family have been informed.

www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14847295.UPDATE__Man_killed_in_crash_on_A456_near_Halesowen/ 

December

The bombshell that Halesowen Leisure Centre is set to close along with others across the borough was the most read story of the month.

We revealed replacement leisure centres will be in Lye and Dudley meaning Halesowen will lose another community facility after the closure of its courts, police station, fire station and ambulance station.

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/14949051.Lye_and_Dudley_revealed_as_possible_sites_for_replacement_leisure_centres/