MAY – Local politics became nailbiting with the Liberal Democrats in Liverpool holding onto control by a whisker when the independent councillor Nadia Stewart agreed to join their ranks. The party’s leader, Warren Bradley, saw off a challenge to his leadership later in the month.

It was the first anniversary of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Gerry and Liverpudlian Kate McCann, attended Our Lady of the Annunciation, Childwall, Kate’s parents’ parish.

Early signs of the credit crunch came with news that repossessions were up by almost a third in Liverpool.

Less than two months after opening, the refurbished Bluecoat caught on fire.

Liverpool One, the city’s new £1bn shopping centre opened, attracting an estimated 200,000 on the first day.

JUNE – Sir Paul McCartney entertained 36,000 fans at Anfield stadium.

More celebrations greeted the Royal Navy’s flagship, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, when she docked at Liverpool’s new cruise liner terminal.

Massive crowds also gathered to see the Italian-built Grand Princess sail up the Mersey and berth at the terminal.

Superlambanana-mania swept the city with 119 customised versions of the sculpture now in situ at various locations.

Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders, based at the old Cammell Laird yard, won £250m worth of orders from the Defence Ministry to secure its future. She later readopted the old name of Cammell Laird.

Burscough-born Sarah Bryant became the first British woman soldier to die in Afghanistan.

JULY – Thousands lined both banks of the river to welcome home the 10 clippers finishing the 35,000-mile 07.08 Around the World Yacht Race.

American Paul Simon returned to Merseyside to perform at the Echo Arena.

The month continued to be one of the most important of our year, with thousands visiting the Tall Ships, and we hosted the British Golf Open, at Royal Birkdale.

AUGUST – Merseyside A-Level students achieved the best results in history, while Liverpool GCSE pupils beat the national average.

Liverpool’s Lita Rosa, the first artist to hit the Number One spot in the charts, died aged 82.

A bumper festival weekend saw Creamfields celebrate its 10th anniversary and tens of thousands attend the Mathew Street Festival.

Everton Football Club's proposed move to Kirkby was called in for a public inquiry.

West Derby boxer David Price won a super heavyweight bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics.

SEPTEMBER – The first in a series of Royal Navy warships visited the Mersey.

Victoria Cross winner, Ian Fraser, from Wirral, died aged 87.

The Miss New Brighton beauty contest took place for the first time since 1989 when this year’s winner, 18-year-old Beth Greenham, was not yet born.

A giant spider invaded Liverpool city centre. La Princesse, a French-designed automaton, won people’s hearts during her weekend visit.

World-famous conductor Simon Rattle returned to the Philharmonic Hall where he conducted the RLPO in the 1970s.

Figures for Culture Year so far showed it had attracted 1.5m first-time visitors to the city.

Everton FC signed its most expensive player ever – Marouane Fellaini, for £15m.

A new advert for bread company Hovis was filmed on the streets of Liverpool.

Liverpool’s 10th Biennial Art Festival opened with work by artists that included Yoko Ono and Tracey Emin.