Review of the year: This Is Hull's most read stories in 2012 - part one

FROM the high of Luke Campbell winning gold at the summer Olympics to the lows of tragedies such as the death of Stuart Gilson, there can be no doubt 2012 has been an eventful year in Hull and East Riding.

Remember the best of times and the worst of times with our review of the most read stories on thisishull over the last 12 months.

Today, we look back over the beginning of the year, from January to April:

1 Chainsaw-wielding Dean Dinnen, who stormed into a north Hull pub and attacked drinkers, was jailed for three years.

Drinkers were forced to hide under tables as Dinnen, of Thorgill Grove, west Hull, chased them with the chainsaw before he sliced one man's arm, leaving him needing 21 stitches. He had been escorted from the pub earlier for lighting up a cigarette inside.

The CCTV footage of the attack at The Endyke pub on Endike Lane was the most watched video of the year.

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2 The city's worst fears were realised when the body of Stuart Gilson was found in the River Humber on March 10.

Stuart, 21, had been missing for six weeks after a night out and friends, family and well-wishers had searched ceaselessly in the hope of finding him alive.

Hundreds of flowers, yellow ribbons and balloons were left at Drypool Bridge in tribute to Stuart. Hundreds of messages were also posted on Facebook and twitter for his heart-broken family.

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3 Simon Mason became the most read-about cyclist on the site, when he revealed he was waging war on inconsiderate drivers by filming them on high-tech video sunglasses on his route to work at BP Saltend.

Simon, of Tranby Lane, Anlaby, had been posting the videos from his £170 glasses online and even passing footage on to the police.

The story holds the record for the most comments ever posted on an individual story - currently standing at 1,179 - and was one of the most read stories of the year.

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4 A mum who left her two children, aged four and seven, to fend for themselves in a filthy house in Jendale, Sutton, while she went clubbing was given a four-month suspended sentence when she appeared in court in April.

Laura Palmer, 26, was found by police, drunk, hiding in her garden shed and still dressed in her clubbing outfit after concerned neighbours reported the children were naked in the street, covered in faeces.

Glammed up for her court appearance wearing a bright pink dress with matching pink shoes, Palmer pleaded guilty to three counts of child cruelty and neglect between December 31, 2010, to June 14 last year.

The story caused outrage amongst thisishull commenters, many of whom felt she had got off lightly.

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5 In February, a seven-year-old boy was questioned for racism after asking a fellow pupil if he was "brown because he was from Africa."

Elliot Dearlove's mum Hayley White refused to sign a form to say her little boy at been involved in a racist incident at Griffin Primary, explaining Elliot was inquisitive and had meant no harm. The parents of the boy Elliot questioned said the matter had been blown out of proportion and they did not believe racism had taken place but the school stood by their position, claiming to have acted in accordance with the council’s guidance for schools on the reporting of racist incidents.

The story attracted hundreds of comments.

• Review of the Year Part 2

• Pictures of the year