In July, an unarmed police officer who tackled a knifeman to protect members of the public in St Albans was recognised for his bravery at a national awards ceremony. PC Carl Callan was on patrol on June 2, 2015, when a call came saying a man was in possession of a knife in Hatfield Road. PC Callan arrived on the scene to find the man attacking members of the public. In a split second, PC Callan made the decision to challenge the attacker

A newly-built classroom for children with learning difficulties left a charred wreck by arsonists. The outdoor teaching classroom at St Luke’s Foundation School, in Crouch Hall Lane, Redbourn, was torched in the early one a Friday morning in July.

Part of the St Albans mayoral regalia has gone missing – and members of the public are being asked to keep an eye out for it. The £3,000 chain of office, which has been worn by numerous mayor’s consorts while on official business, was found to be missing while the mayoral couple was officiating at events last month.

A man left fighting a life-threatening infection after he was bitten by a spider hidden in a bunch of bananas praised Watford General Hospital for “saving his life”. Paul Jory, from St Albans, was treated over a three-week period after needing six operations to clean the wound on his right arm and remove septic tissue.

And Stanley the Chihuahua went missing from a park in Surrey in April and found in St Albans. His microchip meant he could be returned safely to his owner Christie Barr.