2014 began on a high with the news Deal had been given the accolade of High Street of the Year by The Daily Telegraph. In the same month Deal’s only nightclub, Rivals, closed its doors.

In February 40-year-old Deal dad Peter Branch was arrested in Bruges, Belgium, under drug smuggling charges, while the Port of Dover announced a new cargo terminal would be built.

In March historical sex charges against a 39-year-old Deal man who had worked as a manager for McDonald’s were dropped after his death. Scott Donnelly, who died of pneumonia in January, had been accused of five indecent assaults against three teenagers before 1991.

In April Astor College pupil Ella Birchenough, 16, from Dover, landed in trouble when she dropped her phone in a drain and got stuck trying to retrieve it.

In May Castle Community College announced it had been placed in special measures after an inspection in March. The announcement came after weeks of speculation following the shock resignation of head teacher Philip Bunn.

June saw Folk band Gentlemen of Few thanked the RNLI after three band members were rescued after getting cut off from the tide during a walk along the shore. They later helped raise cash for the charity by performing at a race night organised by fundraiser David Herriott at Deal Welfare Club.

In July Mum Karen Ackland, 44, pleaded guilty to having sex with a 14-year-old boy. She avoided prison after being dealt a suspended sentence but an appeal in October saw the Tesco shelf stacker imprisoned for two years.

People in Dover were stunned to hear a car somersaulted off the Megger building at Aycliffe after Hornchurch mum Remi Akinmoyewa ploughed into the roundabout at 70mph. Coroner Rachel Redman ruled her death had been an accident at an inquest in December. No one knew why Mrs Akinmoyewa was in Dover. She had not worn a seat belt.

August saw Conservative councillor Bob Frost caused offence after tweeting that Dover residents existed on a diet of “lard and fags”. In 2012 he was suspended from the party after posting on Facebook that London rioters were “jungle bunnies”.

In September A memorial service took place to the remember the 11 Royal Marines Band members killed by an IRA bomb 25 years ago.

Homophobic thug Joseph Williams was jailed for 14 years after embedding a hammer into the skull of his flatmate, Connor Huntley.

Social media went crazy in October when Deal man Ray Cole was jailed in Morrocco for being gay. Mr Cole’s family pleaded for help from the likes of Stephen Fry, Clare Balding, Simon Pegg and Lord Alan Sugar to highlight the treatment of the man. He was released and flew home on October 8, just days before his 70th birthday.

In November tributes were paid to head teacher Graham Stabbs, who taught at schools in Dover, Deal and St Margaret’s, after he was crushed by building materials being unloaded from a lorry on the A256 Canterbury Road.

December was a cracking month for Dover Athletic as they drew Premier League team Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup.

The Mercury wishes all its readers and advertisers the best for 2015.