NEW Year's Day saw the death of a Plymouth Territorial Army soldier in Afghanistan. Serjeant Chris 'Reedy' Reed was killed in an explosion on a vehicle patrol in the Garmsir district of Helmand province.

The 25-year-old, serving with 6th Battalion The Rifles, was engaged to Heather Crosby, studying merchant shipping at Plymouth University.

Heather was away in the Falkland Islands when Sjt Reed was killed and returned home to Plymouth to find 20 unopened letters from him. She revealed that they had written to each other twice a day since his deployment, on the day they were engaged.

Readers of The Herald rallied round after a callous Christmas act which shocked the city. Burglars struck as great-great-grandmother Gladys O'Keefe lay dying in her bed, taking £3,000 which she had saved over years to pay for her funeral. The 96-year-old died on Christmas Eve, never knowing of the theft. When they read the story Herald readers donated almost £400 for the family. Gladys' daughter Pat Howard said: "This has restored my faith in human nature."

As the city opened for business in 2009 the financial doom and gloom which would become a feature of the year began with the closure of Plymouth's branches of Adams and Passion For Perfume. Chewing gum giant Wrigley in Estover also announced the loss of 16 jobs.

Temperatures plummeted to minus three degrees Celsius – the coldest Plymouth had been in 12 years.

In the middle of January two more lives were claimed in Afghanistan from among the city's units.

Royal Marine Travis Mackin, aged 22 and from Oreston, was killed on Sunday, January 11, while serving with the Stonehouse Barracks-based UK Landing Force Command Support Group.

Three days later, Plymouth-based Captain Tom Sawyer, of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, was killed in a blast north-east of Gereshk.

Rifleman Corbin Mackin, who was serving in Afghanistan with 1st Battalion, The Rifles, accompanied his older brother's body back to the UK for a repatriation service.

A Nigerian family from Plymouth won a last-minute reprieve from deportation. Helen and her six children – one of whom suffered a serious illness – claimed asylum because they feared domestic 'abuse, cruel treatments and death threats' back in Nigeria.

Residents showed their anger over proposals for a permanent Gypsy and traveller camp in Coypool by besieging a Cabinet meeting at the Council House. About 130 protesters, mainly from Woodford, carried placards and warned the council: "The battle starts here".

Days after it was announced that unemployment had soared by 53 per cent in the city, the recession was declared official and city manufacturer Gleason Cutting Tools Ltd announced it was to shed 20 jobs.

Pop siren Amy Winehouse came to the aid of a Plymouth admin worker injured in an accident on holiday in the Caribbean. Louise Williams, 39, was thrown on to rocks during a sailing lesson. The singer-songwriter rushed to help, pulling her up, washing blood off her back, handing her a towel and even offering her a cigarette.

On the last day of the month Plymouth man Nicky Reilly, 22, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the bungled bombing of an Exeter restaurant. He was told he would serve a minumum of 18 years. In an exclusive interview with The Herald, his mother Kim said she would always stand by her son and hoped he received the treatment he needed.

After 70 years of being blind in one eye, 87-year-old Beth Trubridge, from Yelverton, regained her sight. She underwent hi-tech surgery after her daughter took her to a top doctor at the Royal Eye Infirmary.

Two drug deaths in close succession featured in The Herald. Nikki Reynolds, a 31-year-old mother of two from Stonehouse, died of a suspected overdose and Karl Ashmore, 23, was found dead in a Prince Rock flat. His death was later found to be as a result of 'non-dependent' use of drugs. His father Ted sent out a stark message on The Herald website: "To the low-life scum who peddled this filth to my little baby, thank you for this lasting image of my son that will be in front of my eyes forever."

The Langage power station construction site was hit by a wildcat strike as about 600 workers walked out in protest over foreign workers taking British jobs.

Heavy snow blanketed the city, leaving several schools having to stay closed for the day.

Plympton mourned its Stannator, Roger Coleman, who died in a car crash on the A379 between Modbury and Aveton Gifford. Sixteen others required treatment at Derriford Hospital.

South Devon MP Gary Streeter said: "He was a man definitely in touch with everything and at ease with people from all walks of life. A true gent, he was on his way to becoming an outstanding Stannator, building on many years of community work."

Businessman David Welsh, from Plymstock, was jailed for five years after defrauding the NHS of £250,000. He submitted false invoices to health authorities claiming he had treated divers for the bends in the hyperbaric chamber his company operated.

On the same day, Plymouth Argyle announced that the club was terminating the contract of 18-year-old defender Shane White after he was charged with drink-driving.

The club hit the news again when 10 Argyle fans were arrested on a train after wrecking a carriage following the club's 2-0 defeat at Charlton Athletic. Police hauled them away after they stripped down to their underwear and caused havoc.

The defeat itself left the Pilgrims on the brink of relegation after a disastrous run of results which threatened the future of under-fire manager Paul Sturrock. Argyle had won only one of their last 14 games and were only three points clear of relegation, standing 19th in the table.

Another serviceman's life was claimed in Afghanistan on Monday, February 16, when Lance Corporal Stephen Kingscott, 22, became the 145th UK casualty since operations in the country began in 2001.

L/Cpl Kingscott, serving with 1st Battalion The Rifles, was fatally wounded in action in Helmand province. The former John Kitto Community College pupil was engaged to Gemma Felton.

The city's unemployment toll rose again when The Original Shoe Company closed down, Esplex announced 180 job cuts so it could relocate to Poland and Barden Corporation UK Ltd announced it would shed 50 workers. Commercial Motors, a lorry and van dealership, also went into administration.

A postmistress and her son who foiled an axe-wielding robber were given a £500 reward for their bravery by a judge. Jacqueline Henry, 70, told robber Michael Cannan to 'go away' when he raided the post office at Tideford near Saltash, and then her 44-year-old son Gary sat on him for 10 minutes until police arrived. Cannan, aged 18, admitted robbery and was jailed for seven and a half years.

St Luke's Hospice shed five staff as it found itself facing a £500,000 shortfall, and Stonehouse-based luxury boatbuilder Princess Yachts, announced the loss of 450 jobs.

Missing Liskeard baby Gurkirat Singh, whose mother Charlotte Bending died in unexplained circumstances in India, was discovered in London. After a tip-off to The Herald, little Gurkirat was seized by police from a house where he'd been living with a stranger for three months, having allegedly been brought back into the country to use as a bargaining tool over work visas.

Sandy Hunter, Gurkirat's grandmother, said she was overjoyed to have been reunited with her grandson.

A Yealmpton grandmother survived after plunging 80ft down a cliff while walking in Tenerife. Maureen Evason, 66, was saved from death when her head became trapped under the roots of a bush. "It's been a long, tiring recovery but I just feel lucky to be alive," she told The Herald.

Torpoint man Brian Saunders was found guilty of murdering his five-week-old son Rilee Saunders and jailed for life. The judge, the Hon Mr Justice Burnett, described the level of violence as horrific and said the injuries were similar to those which might be inflicted in a car crash.

Accidents claimed the lives of two motorcylists. Southway man Robbie Brammer, described as a loving father with a bubbly personality, died at Derriford Hospital after breaking his leg in a motorbike accident on Tavistock Road, and Sean 'Chucky' Clark, 20, from Ernesettle, was killed when he came off his bike on Weston Mill Hill and collided with a street lamp. His family described him as 'a very popular lad.'

Ivybridge mum Sam Lamb pledged to donate one of her kidneys to her husband Andy, who was dying from renal failure – but doctors warned her that she must lose at least three stone before the operation, so Ivybridge Leisure Centre pledged to help her shed the weight free of charge.

With police on high alert in the run-up to the G20 summit in London there was drama in Radnor Place, Greenbank, when four young people were dramatically arrested under the Terrorism Act after one of them was caught spraying anti-fascist graffiti in the city centre. They were later released without charge.

Plasterer Phillip Ring, from Whitleigh, died when a pallet weighing more than a tonne fell from a lorry and crushed him at a Yelverton building site.

The 37-year-old, a talented blues guitarist and harmonica player who owned his own business, was described as a 'a very peaceful' and 'very mellow man,' by his family.

Yelverton was in the news again when a couple, both firefighters, were shot dead in the quiet nearby village of Dousland.

A murder inquiry was launched after Andrew Pawlowski, 52, and Beverley Shears, 43, were killed in their home. The story attracted national attention, and it was suspected Mr Pawlowski had shot his partner before killing himself.

There was a royal visit as HRH the Duke of Edinburgh visited Stonehouse Barracks for a special dinner in recognition of injured soldiers.

Lower Ham residents were relieved when notorious troublemaker Richard Upton, 19, was banned from his flat in Careswell Avenue after causing misery to the neighbourhood for six months. Described as the living embodiment of a 'neighbour from hell', his behaviour included fighting with knives in the street, vandalism and playing loud music.

He was caught on camera dancing on his neighbour's bay window with a beer can in his hand and the video became a huge hit on The Herald website.

An unprecedented number of fatal car accidents in the middle of the month led to a call from MP Gary Streeter for improved road safety on the A38. Saltash DJ Lloyd Williams died in a crash near Tideford on his way home from a regular gig at the Puls8 nightclub in St Austell, and then on Easter Monday Melissa Barnham, 24, and Daniel Lang, 14, both died when the car in which they were travelling with family and friends crashed on a slip road near Ashburton.

A few days later Philip Wilson, from Cornwall, was killed near the Trerulefoot roundabout, between Saltash and Liskeard, and the month also saw a lorry driver and a car driver injured in an accident near the Rattery junction.

The threat of relegation faded for Argyle when Reading beat Norwich City 2–0. The win meant the Pilgrims could not finish lower than 21st position, guaranteeing a place in the Championship next season.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth wrote to The Herald declaring the future of Devonport Dockyard was 'absolutely secure.' The Herald had written demanding answers as tensions grew over the base's future.

Mr Ainsworth said: "During visits to Plymouth earlier in the year, the Secretary of State and I both stressed that Devonport is a world-class naval base and a centre of excellence for sea training and the UK's amphibious capability. The adjacent dockyard plays a vital role in refitting and supporting surface warships, alongside its pre-eminence in refitting nuclear submarines. We cannot afford to lose this centre of expertise."

Argyle unveiled their new home kit for the 2009-10 Championship campaign. The traditional green and white kit showed off the famous 'three stripes' branding of new kit suppliers Adidas as well as a re-styled club badge and a different logo for club sponsor Ginsters.

It was also announced that one of the five directors of Argyle, Japanese businessman Yasuaki Kagami, was on the brink of assuming control of the club. Kagami and his adviser, George Synan, had previously made a short visit to Plymouth for face-to-face talks with the board. Since then, Kagami's Shonan Management Corporation had been trying to conclude a deal to become the majority shareholder of Plymouth Argyle (Holdings) Limited.

It was revealed that the city would lose its role as a major naval base over the next 10 years, with the submarine fleet due to move to Faslane by 2016 and the new generation of frigates to be based at Portsmouth.

City athlete Tom Daley scored gold in the men's 10m platform at the FINA Grand Prix in Florida, putting him among the top divers on the planet.

Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress Cllr Brian Vincent and his partner Pauline Murphy handed over their civic responsibilities to Cllrs Ken and Wendy Foster. While the Queen had attended 417 official appointments throughout the year, the outgoing mayoral couple had notched up 600, while both holding down full-time jobs.

Becky Green, 16, was found hanged at her grandparents' home. The bubbly teenager had secured a place to study fashion at art college even before taking her GCSEs.

As the MPs' expenses scandal broke out around the country two senior Plymouth politicians, Cllr Andy Kerswell and Mark King, quit the Labour party in protest over the saga. Cllr Kerswell accused Labour MPs who abused their expenses of being 'a bunch of pigs with their snouts in the trough' and Cllr King, representing St Peter and the Waterfront, said: "These MPs are supposed to be socialists and helping people, and all they do is to milk the system."

Navy diver Todd Sweeney was hailed as a hero for saving a disabled girl from drowning on the morning of his wedding. He jumped from the balcony of his hotel room in Cyprus when he saw the teenager at the bottom of the pool.

The month was dominated by one of the grimmest stories in the city's recent history as the actions of paedophile nursery worker Vanessa George first came to light.

On June 10, the 39-year-old from Efford was arrested after indecent images of children were seized by police. At this stage it was unclear where the pictures were taken but it was suspected they might involve children she cared for at Little Ted's Nursery. By that evening, the nation's media had swooped on Efford. More than 100 parents and relatives of those involved attended a closed emergency meeting at St Paul's Church, many in tears and being comforted by police officers. Supt Dave Sumner, Silver Commander for the police operation, said: "In anyone's experience this is an extraordinary matter. It's completely out of the ordinary and we've all got to go about our lives with confidence."

It was revealed that George had been arrested after 38-year-old Colin Blanchard appeared in court in Manchester accused of possessing and distributing and indecent images.

The following day the disgraced mother of two appeared at Plymouth Magistrates' Court charged with two counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault by touching and one count apiece of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children. More than 100 parents whose children might have been abused by George crowded the courtroom, some leaving in tears. She offered no pleas. An angry mob attacked the vehicle carrying her from the court as a huge pool of national and international journalists looked on. The next day it was announced that a Serious Case Review (SCR), normally only carried out following the death of a child, would be carried out by the Plymouth Safeguarding Children Board.

A week later a second 39-year-old woman, Angela Allen, from Nottingham, was arrested in connection with the case. As the investigation unfolded, police found the paedophiles had exchanged thousands of texts and dozens of emails goading each other on to commit ever more depraved acts with youngsters.

A newlywed couple stood trial for beating a man to death with an oar. Barry Johnson and Wendy Shobrook had been married for only a few hours when they carried out the horrendous attack on their friend George Auchterlonie in a Devonport flat. The pair were found guilty of manslaughter; Johnson was jailed for 12 years and Shobrook for five.

A national furore broke out when The Herald revealed that the commanding officer of a Plymouth-based warship had banned Brussels sprouts from his vessel. Captain Wayne Keble, CO of HMS Bulwark, described sprouts as 'the devil's vegetable, in an interview with defence reporter Tristan Nichols. As national newspapers and broadcasters picked up the story the MoD issued a denial and accused The Herald of misquoting Capt Keble, but caved in after it emerged a reporter for the MoD's own paper, Navy News, had recorded the interview on tape and backed Nichols' story.

At the Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe memorial bronze plaques were installed to replace those stolen the year before, restoring the monument to its former glory.