But there have been heroes and smiles as well as misfortune and sadness. We look back on some of the stories that were making the biggest headlines in Wigan over the past 12 months.
![The borough mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II and many residents went down to London to watch the funeral procession or viewed the ceremony on television when a bank holiday was granted.](https://www.wigantoday.net/webimg/b25lY21zOjI3MDQ2Yjc4LTEzZmQtNDBjNi1hMWE3LTNlOGFmOTc0NTJhZDoyMjdiYjQwZi1kY2YzLTQxMTUtYTFlMC1hYjExODdlYzYxYjg=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
17. September
The borough mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II and many residents went down to London to watch the funeral procession or viewed the ceremony on television when a bank holiday was granted. Photo: SARAH MEYSSONNIER
![We met the woman who, due to a paperwork slip-up, had only seen her husband five times in the last six years. Sarah Sholagbade from Standish married Nigerian national Yemi in 2016 after meeting online. But they have been forced to live in separate countries ever since.](https://www.wigantoday.net/webimg/b25lY21zOjhjY2RlNzRlLWY0MDgtNDhhMi04YWQzLWI3ZGEyYzI2ZTA4Njo4NGRjYWRlZC1lOGNlLTRiM2UtYWY1NS1iM2ZhYWViZjJmYmU=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
18. September
We met the woman who, due to a paperwork slip-up, had only seen her husband five times in the last six years. Sarah Sholagbade from Standish married Nigerian national Yemi in 2016 after meeting online. But they have been forced to live in separate countries ever since. Photo: submit
![Referee Dave Bradshaw was hospitalised with serious injuries when attacked during a Wigan amateur football match. A 24-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of assault.](https://www.wigantoday.net/webimg/b25lY21zOmFmNGY3MTU2LWViNGYtNGZjNC1iNDBmLWYyYTIwMzc0YTI0ZjpjMzI4NWEwYS0wMjM3LTQ1YjgtYjAxNy01N2M5YjI3YTFhYWI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
19. October
Referee Dave Bradshaw was hospitalised with serious injuries when attacked during a Wigan amateur football match. A 24-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of assault. Photo: submit
![Joseph Kendrick, the boy behind the Wigan Joseph's Goal charity which has raised more than £1m for research into the rare condition NKH, was given a star on the Wigan Walk of Fame.](https://www.wigantoday.net/webimg/b25lY21zOjk2ZDlhZDQ5LTM1NWUtNDliMi05ZWE0LTNhZTM0OGVlZDk4NjpmMGI3Y2I5Ny05NTNmLTQzZDMtODU1Ni1iZmQ1ZjFlZGQxNDg=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
20. October
Joseph Kendrick, the boy behind the Wigan Joseph's Goal charity which has raised more than £1m for research into the rare condition NKH, was given a star on the Wigan Walk of Fame. Photo: Photographer Michelle Adamson