THIS is the seventh of our 12-part series looking back at the news stories that shaped Croydon in 2012.
We've been looking back at ten of the most popular articles for each month of the year, as well as looking at 2012 in pictures via our most popular photo galleries, and seeing which items attracted the most comments.
The stories that follow are not necessarily listed in order of most-read.
- The Olympic torch relay came to Croydon on July 23, and this event of course dominated the most-read stories and picture galleries of the most. Among the most popular, drawing tens of thousands of visitors, were part one and part two of our live blog. Our three galleries of the day in pictures, which you can find here, here and here, attracted hundreds of thousands of page views. Also popular were the route of the relay, which was released in March, and our interactive map. Croydon was one of the last places the Olympic torch was carried through, and was in London Road almost exactly one year after the riots.
- A teenage girl described her 'coach journey from hell' after a toilet exploded on a National Express coach. Jessica Squires, from New Addington, described the result as a 'tsunami of urine and excrement'. A National Express spokesman said the toilet had been flooded deliberately, and that the driver had been verbally abused.
- A Canadian pastor who believes he can 'heal' the sick by kicking them in the face was due to visit Croydon, the Advertiser revealed. The pastor was set for a three-day event at Croydon Conference Centre on Surrey Street. His controversial methods have included injuring people, and once said he was 'told by God' to kick an elderly woman in the face with his biker boot. Late Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks said the pastor should be banned from the UK, and days before his scheduled visit the Home Office did, saying his presence in the UK was 'not conducive to the public good'.
- Dougie Freedman, then Crystal Palace manager, poured cold water on rumours he was about to sign Leeds United striker Ross McCormack. Rumours had been rife online. Freedman said he knew McCormack well and described him as a 'fantastic player', but said rumours of him joining Palace were 'far-fetched'. McCormack then signed a new deal with Leeds, but in August Steve Parish said he was still interested in the player if he became available again.
- However, Freedman did admit the club were in talks with Jose Baxter. In August Freedman admitted the move 'couldn't happen for a number of reasons' and Baxter later signed for Oldham Athletic.
- Pictures of Crystal Palace's 3-0 win over non-league Dulwich Hamlet were one of July's most-viewed galleries. Dougie Freedman surprised everyone by stepping onto the pitch in the second half, and provided an assist to Reise Allassani.
- A story in which a Sanderstead resident claimed pet cats were being eaten by foxes got 129 comments after being published in early July. John Jefkins blamed a fox for the death of his pet cat Jasmine, likening the scene to the film Jaws. Mr Jefkins said it was becoming an epidemic, adding: 'The foxes can't get to the recycling bins any more so they eat our pets'. A week later John Bryant from Humane Urban Wildlife Deterrence said it was rare for a fox to kill a cat, but recommended owners keep pets in at night.
- In July images were released showing Croydon during the 1920s. The images, taken by former World War One pilots, showed Stoats Nest Village in Coulsdon, Church Street, Addington Hills and Croydon Aerodrome.
- Dougie Freedman said he'd decided against signing Alexis Allart and Peter Kurucz. Speaking exclusively to Crystal Palace reporter Mark Ritson, Freedman said French striker Allart's fitness was 'nowhere near where it should be', while Hungarian goalkeeper Kurucz was rejected after Julian Speroni was said to be 'coming along nicely'.
- Finally for July, Lidl bought land in Sanderstead. The budget store is hoping to build a unit on the land currently occupied by the now-closed Good Companions pub on Limpsfield Road on the Surrey border. Images of the design Lidl is planning were released last month.
