Looking at our most read stories of 2017, it appears to have been a year packed with tragedy, devastation and sadness. And school results.

We know there has been some good news and happier occasions during the past 12 months, but these items have been overshadowed by bleaker events based on what you, our readers, have been clicking on the most.

Here is a month by month rundown of what stories have attracted the most interest on Epsom Guardian’s website.

January

1 Post Office in Epsom High Street 'faces permanent closure' after leaseholder served with winding up order

Surrey Comet:

The High Street post office was in trouble last January when a winding up order was issue to the leaseholder.

A winding up order is a court order that forces the company’s assets to be liquidated in an attempt to repay its creditors.

A post office spokesperson said: “Epsom operates with a postmaster on a temporary basis and discussions with landlords and postmasters are in commercial confidence.”

2 Man in 'glittery' van caught masturbating near Epsom and Ewell

3 Every Greenacre School secondary pupil to be displaced as juniors merge with Priory Preparatory and Bramley School

4 Rapist Costica Voedes sentenced to 22 years imprisonment for stabbing and sexually attacking teenager

5 'Bullies tried to hang my son': Mother of boy driven to suicide after years of torment pleads for law change

Febuary

1 Snooker legend Jimmy White 'loses everything but cue' in flat fire in Epsom

Surrey Comet:

Jimmy White, fondly known in the Snooker community as “The Whirlwind” and the “People’s Champion”, was ‘gutted’ when his flat burned down.

After the fire in Alexandra Road he tweeted 'Fire at my flat this morning. Everything gone. Gutted. Cue was in car and most importantly no one hurt'.

Fourteen people and a cat were evacuated.

2 Third highest proportion of dirty takeaways nationwide found in Epsom and Ewell, according to new Food Standards Agency analysis

3 Jewellery and cash taken from during raid on an Elm Way home in West Ewell

4 Karate instructor Spencer Hannan, of Derek Avenue, Epsom, accused of sexually abusing young boy in sick 'yellow car' game 'community-spirited' and 'utterly trustworthy', court hears

5 Caravan set alight, bricks thrown at houses and residents attacked amidst 'spate of anti-social behaviour' in Epsom

March

1 Teenager stabbed in leg in 'violent' Epsom gang attack

Surrey Comet:

A ‘violent’ Epsom gang attack left a teenager hospitalised and needing emergency surgery following a stab wound.

Detective constable Elliott Abdo said: “This appears to have been a violent attack which has left the victim requiring surgery.

“This behaviour is not acceptable in our community.”

2 13-year-old boy Daniel Ellingham from Ewell found

3 Hooded thugs break man's nose and leave him with cuts to his head in attack in Church Road, West Ewell

4 FOUND: Appeal to trace owner of missing keys with heartfelt message found on Waverley Road Stoneleigh Epsom

5 Surrey Police launch appeal after campaign of racially-aggravated criminal damage in Hook Road, Epsom

April

1 End of the road? Epsom Coaches 'to drop holiday and tour packages' in June after impending corporate takeover

Surrey Comet:

Drivers and office staff were left fearing for their jobs after a corporate takeover of Epsom Coaches, which had been approaching 100 years in business.

The company was founded in 1920, but is now managed by RATP Dev London, whose parent company RATP operates globally.

Epsom Coaches, which had record bookings for that summer according to managing director Steve Whiteway, was renamed Quality Line and no longer runs holiday packages.

2 Epsom's largest employer, Ashley Road-based WS Atkins, agrees multi-billion pound takeover by rival Canadian engineering firm SNC-Lavalin

3 ‘Ewell Castle School sends letter to parents after man charged over indecent images of children ‘getting changed after sports sessions'

4 German supermarket giant Lidl submits plans for new store in Upper High Street, Epsom

5 Epsom nightclub Fever and Boutique in Spread Eagle Walk allowed to stay open despite concerns raised over underage drinking, noise levels and violence

May

1 Teenage horse riding volunteer left heartbroken after losing savings as 119-year-old Epsom business Lester Bowden goes into administration

Surrey Comet:

A 14-year-old charity volunteer lost 18 months’ worth of savings after an equestrian clothing store went into administration.

Rebecca Watkinson, a volunteer at a charity that looks after ex-racehorses, had put half of what she had raised through a weekly paper round – £411.50 – into an account with Lester Bowden.

She had hoped to buy a full set of riding gear from the company, and had already bought her boots and hat from the 119-year-old retailer based in Spread Eagle Walk, Epsom.

2 Woman suffers cuts after would-be mugger slashes her with broken glass in terrifying attack near Bourne Hall, Ewell

3 Six-man brawl in Epsom ends with man taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting with head injuries

4 Renovated Epsom Square to host free celebration launch party after makeover

5 Epsom and Ewell results in Surrey County Council elections

June

1 Masked thugs using 'EastEnders slang' attack two men with crowbar and steal cash in terrifying early hours attack in Mortimer Crescent, Worcester Park

Surrey Comet:

Masked thugs armed with crowbars who attacked and tied two men up were using ‘EastEnders slang’ according to police.

The victims also had their cash stolen in the terrifying home invasion.

One, who was hit in the head with a crowbar, required hospital treatment.

2 Rosebery School in Epsom celebrates ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspection

3 Epsom man fined £535 for dropping cigarette butt in Sittingbourne High Street

4 Epsom and Ewell Borough Council throw out German supermarket giant Lidl’s plans for old Organ and Dragon site in London Road, Ewell

5 Updated: Moped gang carrying 'stolen axes and hammers' steal watches during daring daylight robbery in Banstead High Street

July

1 Suspected brothel owner arrested in Epsom High Street

Surrey Comet:

A suspected brothel owner was caught after furniture from an upper window was thrown out, prompting an onlooker to call the police.

Borys Bobinski, 36, was arrested on suspicion of modern slavery offences.

Human trafficking is commonly associated with prostitution and slavery, with the Government estimating tens of thousands of slaves hidden in modern Britain.

2 Police appeal for witnesses after 12-year-old boy was ‘aggressively’ robbed in Downside, Epsom

3 Teenage girl fights off large man who sexually assaulted her as she cycled through Hogsmill Open Space in Ewell

4 Epsom man charged with running brothel

5 ‘Overdevelopment gone mad’: Residents react to plans for 88 new homes at Sycamore Gardens on former Nescot site in Ewell

August

1 Man dies after car crash in Kingston Road, Ewell

Surrey Comet:

A man in his 30s died following a car crash in Ewell

The air ambulance attended and road closures were put in place while emergency services dealt with the incident.

The man was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, but died from his injuries two days later.

2 Updated: Best One newsagent’s in Stoneleigh taped off by Surrey Police after teenager ‘holds up shop with gun’

3 Updated: More legal action planned as nine additional caravans have appeared in Horton Country Park in Epsom

4 Unconscious man ‘with blood coming from his mouth’ at bus stop in Chessington Road, Ewell taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting

5 ‘Maybe next time we can spend some time together’: Police recover three stolen mopeds while suspected thieves weren't there

September

1 84-year-old woman suffers broken bone in her back as she is pushed to the ground and robbed in Worcester Park

Surrey Comet:

An 84-year-old woman was robbed in Worcester Park, suffering a broken finger and a broken bone in her back.

She was walking through a tunnel under the railway lines into Lynwood Road between 1.30pm and 2pm when an unknown man pushed her to the ground and stole her handbag.

Inspector Jackie Elkins said: “If you do regularly walk alone, please be aware of your own personal safety and avoid using short cuts, keep to well-lit busy streets and consider carrying a personal attack alarm."

2 Lucy Jinks, 33, gives birth to baby Indy in the carpark of Epsom Hospital

3 Man dies after falling from the Ashley Centre in Epsom

4 'Happy days' for this garden centre in Epsom which stars in a leading fast food chain TV ad

5 Burglars ‘terrifying’ residents by ‘using threats and violence’ to force entry into homes across Surrey, including Epsom, Moseley and Walton

October

1 Epsom and Ewell's best and worst secondary schools for pupil progression

Surrey Comet:

New Government figures revealed the improvement made by secondary school pupils in Epsom and Ewell.

This “Progress 8” score reflects the difference between the results SATs taken in year nine and results from GCSEs and other key stage four qualifications.

The top-scoring school in the area was Nonsuch High School for Girls.

2 Personal Independence Payments (PIP) fight after seriously ill Epsom man's disability benefits taken away

3 Epsom & Ewell Council deny liability for teenager's smashed windshield

4 Man stabbed in serious attack outside Epsom station

5 Epsom bus drivers are voting on strike action this Monday

November

1 The Eight Bells in Ewell reopens after six-figure renovation

Surrey Comet:

The Eight Bells in Ewell reopened after a £100,000 refurbishment.

After being closed throughout October, staff at the pub in Kingston Road began welcoming punters again on Friday, November 2.

Glen Rose, who now runs the pub, said: “I can’t wait to get started. It’s fantastic and really exciting. You know once it opens it’s going to be spanking.”

2 Large amount of designer goods stolen during burglary in Epsom

3 Epsom and Ewell Council approves Lidl Upper High Street plans

4 Man found critically injured in Miller Place, Epsom, off Sherwood Way

5 Armed police hunt men in balaclavas who 'ram-raided' Ewell cash machine

December

1 These are the best performing primary schools in Epsom and Ewell according to the 2017 KS2 results

Surrey Comet:

The best primary schools in Epsom and Ewell in the Key Stage 2 tests for 2017 were revealed.

The Government published how well schools performed in tests at the end of Key Stage 2 which take place for maths and English.

Nonsuch Primary School and St Peter’s Catholic Primary School tied in top place with 90 per cent of their pupils reaching (or overachieving) the expected standard.

2 Woman taken to hospital after serious crash between Tolworth and Ewell

3 Man found unconscious and 'critically injured' in Epsom

4 Epsom High Street: Woman trapped under hoardings is rescued

5 RMT members to go on strike at Epsom's Quality Line bus depot