For many people, 2017 became the year they couldn’t wait to see the back of.
Marked by tragedy nationally and globally, the year was punctuated by natural disasters, devastating terror attacks, war and a major refugee crisis.
In Manchester and London dozens of people lost their lives in a series of terrorist atrocities in the space of just weeks.
Everyday heroes – including emergency service workers, taxi drivers, restaurant owners and neighbours with open doors – became beacons of light when they jumped in to help in some of the country’s darkest moments.
One Love Manchester
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The Manchester Arena bombing in May claimed 22 lives – many of them young pop fans – after an Ariana Grande concert.
In the weeks that followed, as the world watched, an emergency fund set up for victims and their families reached more than £10,000,000.
The woman who unexpectedly found herself at the centre of the terror attack, Ariane Grande, took just weeks to organise a major fundraising concert, One Love Manchester, with some of the biggest stars in the pop industry.
Footage showed crowds dancing and singing in union – the perfect way for the pop music-loving victims and their friends and families to stick two fingers up to terrorism.
In the three hours the concert was on air, hundreds of thousands of viewers donated to the special cause via text message or online donations.
London Solidarity
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In June, in response to the London Bridge terror attack that saw pedestrians mowed down by a van on London Bridge before attackers stabbed a police officer and revellers around Borough Market with 12-inch knives.
A week later, people walking on London Bridge were given 3,000 red roses by British Muslims in a show of solidarity and love.
The beautiful idea was arranged by those who wanted to do something to help after eight people died.
Each rose carried ‘messages of love to the world’, the organisers said. People donated £600 to pay for the flowers, given out to anyone who found themselves at the same spot of the scene of the tragedy.
It followed a vigil near London Bridge that drew hundreds of people.
To huge applause, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told those gathered: ‘As a proud and patriotic British Muslim I say this: you do not commit these disgusting acts in my name.
‘Your perverse ideology has nothing to do with the true values of Islam. You will never succeed in dividing our city.’
Justice for Grenfell
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Later in June, 71 people died when flames engulfed Grenfell Tower in what was the deadliest fire in London since the Second World War.
The nation watched in horror as videos appeared on social media – some from inside the tower – showing the speed and ferocity at which the blaze took place.
Six months on from the disaster, more than half of the 223 residents who escaped the fire are still in emergency accommodation and will be homeless for Christmas.
Snap Election
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A snap election in June saw Theresa May lose her Tory majority, despite weeks of intense campaigning.
Three people in her constituency voted for a man dressed as Sesame Street character Elmo.
She announced the vote as the country faced growing uncertainty over Brexit.
In contrast, Labour’s performance at the general election was hailed a major success as leader Jeremy Corbyn helped the party gain its most votes since 1997, when Tony Blair became prime minister.
Another Royal engagement
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The royals were busy making news of their own in 2017.
In September Kensington Palace announced the Duchess of Cambridge was expecting her third child.
Two months later, Prince Harry’s engagement to actress Meghan Markle was finally confirmed in November after months of speculation – giving the nation a reason to smile.
The arrival of Trump
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Can you believe it has been less than a year since Donald Trump was inaugerated as President of the United States in January.
And while 2017 may have been the year we said hello to President Trump – it also brought us a reluctant First Lady of the United States.
Free Melania
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First Melania Trump was photographed looking miserable at her husband’s inauguration, sparking a global #FreeMelania movement for the reluctant First Lady.
Then pictures and video clips of her looking glum-faced at following press and public events soon flooded social media.
Then there was her deep and heart-wrenching struggle to hold her husband’s hand.
On several occasions, the FLOTUS was seen batting away President Trump’s outstretched fingers.
Her hatred for sharing the limelight with her the President led theorists to suggest the real Melania had even gone to the lengths of hiring a fake Melania to stand in for her as a body double.
Save our Blue Planet
Blue Planet 2 producer filmed in a leaking submarine
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In the final episode of Blue Planet 2 Sir David Attenborough gave a moving speech about the future of our oceans, along with distressing footage of the horrific impact plastic wastage and pollution is having on our oceans.
Some fans said the episode ‘made them lose the will to live’ and ‘want to give up on humanity’
Series producer Orla Doherty said the aim was to ‘shed a light on the issues humans have caused in the ocean’.
Political turmoil
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As Britain faced its own political turmoil surrounding Brexit, elsewhere in the world politics has caused its own measure of chaos.
In Spain, violent clashes and protests broke out following Catalonia’s vote of independence – which was later deemed illegal.
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