Our most-read stories of 2017 paint quite a picture of Kingston and Elmbridge.

There have been plenty of tragic stories, but scattered among them are pieces of good news as well.

Here, month by month, is what you enjoyed reading this year.

January

Supposedly the gloomiest month of the year, the top-read stories do nothing to dispel that notion! A body in the Thames, two men hit by trains, a motorcyclist killed, toxic air and a driver trapped in a lorry - but people are fascinated by bad news, and while we do try to write as much good news as we can, we still have to report the sadder stories.

Surrey Comet:

  1. Man's body pulled from the Thames at Kingston Bridge
  2. Two men dead after being hit by trains in New Malden and Woking
  3. Motorcylist killed in New Malden crash named as Kingston Council traffic officer Beju Shah
  4. 'Red alert' issued in eight London boroughs, including Kingston, with toxic air set to arrive from Germany
  5. Lorry driver left trapped in front seat after crash with car in Tolworth

February

These are the first entries of Surbiton Crescent in this list, and the campaigners really got into the spirit of it and dressed up in some marvellous costumes. The controversial traffic restrictions made headlines throughout the year, and reappear on this list nearer the end.

Surrey Comet:

  1. Butcher shop owner's horror after customer loses hand in gruesome meat grinder accident
  2. 'It's plain stupid': Enraged campaigners dress as no entry signs in latest campaign against Surbiton Crescent traffic scheme
  3. Two men dead after being hit by trains in New Malden and Woking
  4. Traffic scheme in Surbiton rakes in almost £2 MILLION in fines over just two months – prompting mass lawsuit from furious motorist
  5. 'It's undemocratic': Cash-strapped council secretly backs down over Toby Jug plans to build more than 700 homes next to A3

March

This month had some horrible stories, including a police officer sacked for having thousands of lurid pictures of children on his computer.

Surrey Comet:

  1. Body believed to be missing university student Victor Ivanelo found under railway arch near Surbiton station
  2. Motorcyclist in hospital after Tolworth Underpass crash, as A3 closure causes commuter chaos
  3. Kingston police officer sacked for downloading 65,000 indecent images of children
  4. Man hunted by police for 'approaching schoolgirls and asking for sex' in Kingston
  5. Young woman passenger killed after car overturned on A3 at Esher - driver arrested

April

Another appearance of Surbiton Crescent, with the scandalous misuse of public money (although it was published on April 1, and that is no coincidence). There were a few tragic stories this month, too - especially the most-read: the heart-breaking death of a baby.

Surrey Comet:

  1. Four-month-old baby dies after becoming ill in Tolworth Broadway
  2. VIDEO: Flames devour disused village hall in Chessington
  3. Millions raised through Surbiton Crescent traffic camera to fund two-week Ibiza holiday for councillors
  4. Death of missing student Viktor Ivanelo, whose body was found under a railway arch in Surbiton, is not suspicious, say police
  5. Whole house collapses in Kingston Vale in the middle of the night after works on basement

May

Probably the most heart-warming story on this list is the one that topped May. Three-year-old Nahla Weeks fell in the river while on her bike and a passerby jumped in to rescue her. Thanks to this article appearing in the Comet, we found the hero and they were reunited a week later and shared a big hug.

Surrey Comet:

  1. A grateful mum is searching for the hero who saved her little girl when she fell into the Thames
  2. These are the top-rated restaurants in Kingston and Surbiton for you to try, according to reviews on TripAdvisor
  3. Woman taken to hospital after explosion near Chessington
  4. Kingston Hospital named among best in UK
  5. Kingston named safest London borough for second year running

June

This month's most-read stories are dominated by the fatal stabbing of Derick Mulondo, including a powerful interview with his mum. We were told about the baseball bat attack story by a member of the public who was walking past when it happened. This shows the importance of the two-way relationship we have with our readers; if there is something we should know about, please be sure to tell us.

Surrey Comet:

  1. Woman 'hit with baseball bat' in Kingston town centre
  2. A murder investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed to death in Kingston
  3. Fatal Kingston stabbing victim Derick Mulondo named as two charged with murder
  4. Mum of fatally stabbed Kingston dad Derick Mulondo calls on community to campaign against knife crime
  5. Woman injured and two arrested after attempted robbery in Surbiton

July

A second month overshadowed by the loss of a life - this time 19-year-old Celine Dookhran, who was killed in Kingston.

Surrey Comet: Celine Dookhran was found dead at a property in Kingston on July 19

  1. A murder investigation has been launched after a "despicable" double attack on two young women in Kingston left one dead and one seriously injured
  2. Plans for 270 new homes could see Kingston's largest music venue The Hippodrome knocked down
  3. Tributes paid to Celine Dookhran, the 19-year-old woman from south London murdered in Kingston
  4. Homes evacuated as crews tackle blaze at hospital building

August

The Patient Survey topped our list in August - people like reading ratings like this, of restaurants (like in May), and of schools (later in the year, when results have been analysed). A story we did about a Yorkshire terrier being taken by seven police officers also made the national press. You'll be happy to learn he was reunited with his owner a few days later.

Surrey Comet:

  1. The best and worst GP surgeries in Kingston - as rated by patients - have been revealed
  2. Surbiton man Matthew Eglinton who started relationship with 12-year-old girl to sexually exploit her avoids jail at Kingston Crown
  3. Chessington World of Adventures is offering free entry to families who leave their mobiles in a 'No Phone Zone'
  4. ‘Upmarket travellers’ encamp on cricket pitch at Alexandra Recreation Ground in Tolworth
  5. Seven police officers sent to seize 'dangerous' Yorkshire terrier in Kingston Vale

September

Among the crime and crash stories in September were two big planning stories. The Bentall Centre continued its reinvigorating year with the cinema plans being approved, and Tesco in New Malden caused concern by sealing off some of its car park.

Surrey Comet:

  1. New Malden Tesco cordons off a third of its car park amid speculation it may sell land
  2. Motorist taken to hospital after moped riders 'threw unknown substance' in his face in Fife Road, Kingston
  3. New ‘boutique’ cinema gets the green light for the Bentall Centre in Kingston
  4. Tributes paid to Surbiton primary school teacher robbed and murdered in Brazil
  5. Man rescued from car after crash with lorry in Chessington

October

October had a real mixture of stories. We celebrated the success of local schools, while also reporting on a really concerning sighting of a man with a gun. The cat killer claimed his first of a string of victims in New Malden and Chessington this month, too.

Surrey Comet:

  1. Armed police were sent to Tolworth Girls' School after a man with a gun was seen on the field
  2. KFC in New Malden food hygiene needs 'major improvement'
  3. Pet owners warned after cat killer strikes in Chessington
  4. Jay's Newsagents in Kingston closes after 21 years
  5. The best and worst secondary schools in Kingston and Elmbridge for pupil progression

November

This month featured a lot of crashes on the roads in and around Kingston. It led us to publish on our front page calls for an investigation into why it was so dangerous.

Surrey Comet:

  1. 18-year-old hit by bus in central Kingston
  2. Pedestrian hit by car in Kingston Hall Road
  3. Croydon Cat Killer strikes in New Malden
  4. Person taken to hospital after five-vehicle crash at Tolworth A3 underpass
  5. Eden Street in Kingston is closed after a serious crash

December

We ended the year by bringing the Surbiton Crescent story back into the spotlight, and the amount issued in fines continues to climb! There was somebody else hit by a bus, following on from last month's epidemic of crashes in Kingston.

Surrey Comet: Joseph Shin runs Kanji

  1. Woman taken to hospital after being hit by a bus on Coombe Road
  2. Kingston Market pop-up traders told to pack up for Christmas and their future is uncertain in 2018
  3. Woman 'extracted' from car London Fire Brigade after crash in Kingston
  4. Boat fire in Kingston: Caribbean cruiser completely destroyed after fire rips through it on the Thames
  5. Surbiton Crescent restrictions make £4.5million in first year