As 2008 draws to a close, we take a look back at the headlines

JANUARY – We’d waited and planned for five long years and Liverpool’s reign as Capital of culture kicked off at 20.08 on January 11 with a spine-tingling outdoor extravaganza.

Thousands braved the cold to see Ringo Starr and dozens of other musicians on rooftops perform alongside acrobats and fireworks in an industrial-themed showcase.

The following night, the Echo Arena opened with Liverpool: The Musical. Ringo – who later came under fire for ambivalent remarks about his home city in a TV interview – again took centre stage with stars like Echo and the Bunnymen and Ian Broudie.

Meanwhile, former Culture chief Jason Harborow departed his £150,000-a -year post with a £230,000 pay-off. The deal was announced the same day as the Audit Commission labelled the city council the worst in England for how it spends its money.

FEBRUARY – New buildings and artworks came thick and fast. In February, Panoramic restaurant opened its doors – on the 34th floor of West Tower, making it the highest restaurant in the country.

Liverpool finally took the Superlambanana to its heart and, as mini-versions of the creature began to emerge at various locations, the Daily Post launched a campaign to keep the original, by artist Taro Chiezo, in the city.

Meanwhile, some Merseyside and Cheshire residents were startled to feel the Earth move in the early hours of February 26 – when an earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale shook the north of England.

MARCH – Liverpool John Lennon Airport announced its first profits in a decade. Peel Holdings, which has owned the airport for 10 years, revealed this “maiden” profit prediction, which represented a turnaround from a pre-tax loss of £1.7m last year.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham presided over the re-opening of the Bluecoat Arts Centre, in Liverpool city centre after the 1717 building’s £12.5m and three year-long refurbishment.

The former Ford Halewood car plant was secured as India’s Tata Motors clinched a £1bn deal to safeguard 16,000 Jaguar Land Rover jobs at the Halewood and West Midlands plants.

APRIL – One of the 150,000 punters at Aintree for the opening of the Grand National pre-ordered 45 bottles of Cristal Champagne worth £13,000. Bizarrely, mounted police were banned from the paddock to flank the winner, Comply Or Die, by course officials on health and safety grounds of “overcrowding”.

The fourth Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, Dr Brian May, PhD – lead guitarist with Queen – was sworn in, succeeding Cherie Blair

A 17-year-old youth appeared before Liverpool magistrates charged with the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones.

Liverpool FC co-owner Tom Hicks called for chief executive Rick Parry to resign, labelling his tenure at the club disastrous.