Review of the Year 2014: February

FEBRUARY 2014 James Ashton, who dressed as Mickey Mouse, to cheer up young hospital patients.

He and a friend dressed up as Disney characters and donated toys to the Leeds Children’s Heart Unit.

Kirklees Council was accused of selling its crown jewels when it announced nearly 200 civil servants would be leaving Mirfield so the council could sell one of its buildings. The authority announced it would demolish its Westfields site and relocate 190 social services staff based in the building to Huddersfield.

A singing duo from Littletown performed for the judges on BBC’s The Voice and met Tom Jones. Although sisters Natalie and Leanne Wood were not picked at the performance stage, they got through nine auditions to win their place on the programme. And their dad, Ray, got to meet his hero, Tom.

Two best friends from Batley had a short-lived jolly on Channel 4’s Coach Trip. Carol Rhodes and Bill Coupe met fellow contestants in Turin, but had to leave the show after Carol fell ill. She joked: “At least we never got voted off.” They were later invited back on the show – and won!