In May, struggling residents were urged by a police Inspector to seek help before turning to crime to address their financial difficulties.

It came after data suggested shoplifting was on the rise in the UK – mainly due to the “constantly rising cost of living and food prices that are subject to the most rapid increase in over four decades”

Devastated colleagues of a much-loved tax specialist who died after a battle with lung cancer were putting their best feet forward in her memory.

The Leader: Staff at the North Wales and Cheshire-based accountancy firm, Coxeys, were to pound the pavements in honour of Morag Browning, who worked for the company for almost 40 years and was one of its “respected” directors.

The mother-of-one from Marchwiel, died in January, aged 69.

Convicted murderer Jamie Mitchell, from Buckley, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years behind bars.

Handing down the sentence, Judge Rhys Rowlands told the defendant: “Steven Wilkinson was only 23 when he was killed.

The Leader: “His last moments must have been quite terrifying; having been approached by you, being trapped and posing absolutely no threat at all to you."

Thousands upon thousands of fans lined the streets for Wrexham AFC’s open top bus parade.

The momentous occasion was to celebrate an incredible year for the club - with it being promoted back to the Football League after a 15-year hiatus. 

The women’s team also lifted the league title in front of a record crowd at The Racecourse.

The Leader: And according to the Trussell Trust, there was a huge rise in the number of food parcels handed out to struggling households in Wrexham and Flintshire.

Project manager at Flintshire Foodbank, Sue Leake said: “This last 12 months has been the busiest on record for our foodbank, with such a high volume of clients needing emergency help."

Emma Revie, chief executive at the Trussell Trust, described the statistics as “extremely concerning”.