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A Guid New Year! A look back at some of the top Angus stories from 2022 as we get ready to welcome 2023

Mili Smith, Hailey Duff, Jennifer Dodds, Vicky Wright and Eve Muirhead celebrate their Olympics curling win in February. Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.
Mili Smith, Hailey Duff, Jennifer Dodds, Vicky Wright and Eve Muirhead celebrate their Olympics curling win in February. Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.

It was a year packed with tales of sporting success (or near misses for fans of Arbroath FC), community spirit and the welcome return of many big days on the county calendar.

So settle in for a look back over what made the news in Angus over the past 12 months.

January

Discount chain Home Bargains revealed its £15m plan for a retail park on the site of the former Presentation Products factory in Arbroath.

Arbroath dook
Arbroath folk saw in 2022 with the return of the town’s New Year Dook. Image: Paul Reid

Brechin Healthcare Group suffered a major blow to its ambitions after a bid to take over the old town infirmary was rejected at appeal.

Forfar Golf Club battled back after losing more than 800 trees to winter storms Arwen and Corrie.

February

Hailey Duff from Forfar became Angus’ newest sporting superstar as part of the Team Muirhead gold medal-winning curling rink at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Kirriemuir Macmillan committee
Gloria Mitchell and Maimie Jamieson have a chat over coffee about the 50 years of the Kirriemuir Macmillan Committee as it came to an end having raised more than £250,000. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson

Devoted son Colin Whelan made the journey from Australia to honour his Dundee-born mother Helen’s wish to have her ashes scattered on the River South Esk in Glen Clova.

Arbroath fans turned a Neil Diamond classic into Smokies and Wine to encourage Dick Campbell’s men in their push for the Championship title.

March

There were more than 400 applications for just six new homes created by Stracathro Estates as part of a £1.1m rural housing initiative near Edzell.

Arbroath instrumental band
Arbroath Instrumental Band came back from the brink of folding to book a place in the British Championships. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

Carnoustie Panmure Community Football Club opened a new park named in honour of former town councillor and Angus Provost Helen Oswald.

There was sadness over the state of the former Kerr’s miniature railway at Arbroath after works on the adjacent east coast main line.

April

Angus environmental campaigner took on the might of the US Navy after food waste from an international exercise washed up on the coast near East Haven.

Cyclist George McClure and his family funded a new Forfar defibrillator after the 55-year-old had a brush with death when he came off his bike near the A90.

Glamis Castle toys exhibition
A Children of Glamis display to mark 650 years of the Angus castle included toys once owned by the future Queen Elizabeth. Image: Paul Reid.

Bon Scott’s son was among thousands of ACDC fans who flooded Kirriemuir for the first Bonfest celebration in three years.

May

New rules were put in place to prevent motorhome owners from staying too long at Arbroath seafront.

Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre took delivery of an RAF Tornado GR4 which saw action in the Gulf War.

Queen's platinum jubilee in Angus
Four-year-old Abbie Watt enjoyed a teddy bears’ picnic as part of the Angus Queen’s platinum jubilee celebration in Montrose. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Angus driver Sandy Mitchell raced into the motorsport history books as the first two-time winner of the British GT Championship’s blue riband Silverstone 500.

June

Forfar Stags won a national football final 30 years on from playing together in a town pub team.

Pals of Arbroath man Bailey Menmuir raised thousands of pounds for local mental health charity Reach Across after taking on the Three Peaks Challenge.

Strathmore Highland Games
The return of Strathmore Highland Games drew spectators from all over the world to Glamis Castle. Image: Paul Reid

Angus licensing board rejected a bid by De Vito’s nightclub in Arbroath for 3.30am weekend opening.

July

Dun Church hosted its final Sunday service after almost 190 years of worship.

An Angus osprey chick was saved by walkers as the summer heatwave caused the tree with its nest to collapse at Balgavies Loch.

Glamis Extravaganza
Sun shone for the Covid comeback of the Scottish Transport Extravaganza in the grounds of Glamis Castle. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson

Angus had a string of athletes in action at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and coach Bob Christie led Scotland’s bowlers to golden glory.

August

Montrose MND sufferer Steven Pert’s sons raised more than £10,000 from a charity walk from Angus to Celtic Park.

Kirriemuir joiner James Robbie climbed 58 Munros during his two-week summer holiday to raise money for local charities.

Eddie and Anne Bundy renewed their vows in a special ceremony put together by staff at Dalhousie Day Care Centre in Brechin. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson

Angus Falklands veteran Malcolm Wilson remained defiant after being told to take down a 16-foot pole flying the islands’ flag in his Arbroath garden.

September

Thousands flocked to Brechin to pay their respects to The Queen as the monarch’s funeral cortege made a brief stop en route from Balmoral to Holyrood Palace.

Trial medical drone flights between Stracathro Hospital and Ninewells in Dundee took off for the first time.

Dunhill Links Carnoustie
Actress Kathryn Newton was among the stars to line up in the Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson

Kirrie Festival returned for the first time since the pandemic to welcome traditional music fans and players from across Scotland.

October

East Haven shone in the Beautiful Scotland awards scheme as the best coastal village and winner of the coveted top rosebowl prize.

Forfar man Graeme Laird snapped up a three-wheeler Morgan which was the star lot in a Strathmore Vintage Vehicle Club auction. Image: Paul Reid

Carnoustie Black Watch Private David Graham was honoured in a Belgian war cemetery ceremony 104 years on from his death on the Western Front.

Arbroath fan Lois Caird became an internet sensation after being snapped receiving a signed Fray Bentos pie from Lichties star Bobby Linn in a bit of Gayfield hospitality banter.

November

The bulldozers finally moved in on Forfar’s Lochside leisure centre to bring a five-year saga surrounding its future to an end.

A new Letham’s Feuars’ Committee was formed after controversy around the running of the historic village organisation.

Hollie McIntosh and Ed Oswald with their Carnoustie citizen of the year awards. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

Heritage enthusiasts lamented the loss of priceless Admiral Duncan artefacts lost when fire tore through 900-year-old Lundie Kirk.

December

It emerged Scottish Government agency Forestry and Land Scotland paid £17.5 million for Glen Prosen estate in Angus.

Brechin Polar Express
10,000 excited passengers, including five-year-old Angus Hogg, flocked to Brechin for a trip on the Caledonian Railway’s Polar Express. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Retired Royal Marine Bill Muir from Letham made an emotional return to the Falkland Islands where he was one of the first defenders against the Argentine invasion of 1982.

And the year was rounded off with a huge turnout for a charity tractor run by Forfar JAC and the welcome return of Forfar Road Runners’ Plum Pudding Plod.

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