Review of last year...

January

Tributes were paid to a popular Hamilton footballer and dad-of-four who died suddenly after suffering a stroke on Hogmanay.

Darren Cossar, Eddlewood Amateur Footballing Club’s manager, was rushed to hospital after taking ill at his home in the town, but lost his fight for life on January 2.

A young woman suffering from a rare bone disease set up an online appeal to raise money for a breast reduction.

Jasmin Vlassi started the campaign so that she could finally feel confident in her body as having a 32K bust made her feel like crying.

A Hamilton Advertiser special investigation brought to light a squalid den under a bridge near the Palace Grounds, which one man was using as his makeshift home.

Our reporter met with ‘Robert’ who was living in the terrible conditions and our story attracted attention which resulted in him being placed in permanent accommodation.

February

A baby girl who was diagnosed with heart failure returned to her home in Blantyre having received the gift of life.

Zariah Albano was left fighting for her life when she had end-stage heart failure. The tot was discharged following a life-saving heart transplant at the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle.

Hamilton Accies confirmed they were taking legal action against The Royal Bank of Scotland after losing hundreds of thousands of pounds in a ‘vishing’ scam.

The football club enlisted the help of law firm Levy & Mcrae in a bid to recoup £415,000 of their near £1 million loss.

The club were victims of an elaborate scam when fraudsters fleeced over £830,000 from their account over a 24-hour period.

Ambitious plans to completely transform the Hamilton campus of the University of the West of Scotland were given the go-ahead.

Multi-million pound proposals for an ‘urban village’ were given the green light by South Lanarkshire councillors.

The development should take between 15 and 20 years, and will be known as Hamilton Green.

Plans include more than 300 homes, a hotel, a care home, retirement flats and retail, cafe and restaurant facilities.

A new Macmillan Cancer information and support service opened in Hamilton Town House Library.

Members of the public, South Lanarkshire Council and the fundraising committee gathered for the official opening of the dropin service.