January
A dead calf was stuck on the bank of the river Wye in Hereford. Picture: Rob Davies The most-read story in the first month of the year was about a dead animal on the banks of the river Wye in Hereford which could not be removed. Charity Hereford and Worcester Animal Rescue said the carcass, next to the popular walking route through Bishops Meadows, said it was first believed to be a dog, but was later identified as a calf. We went down there in the dark but couldn t retrieve it, said Dawn Turner, of the animal rescue charity.
Dubai, Amsterdam and the Costa del Sol: Where the most wanted were captured Joe Thomas
The past year saw a number of overseas arrests as detectives worked with colleagues across the world to track down fugitives linked to investigations connected to the region.
Dramatic swoops saw suspects detained in a host of settings - from being pulled from a Dutch taxi to being taken from resorts on the Costa del Sol.
Many have since been extradited back to the UK - or are in the process of being returned.
This is an overview of some of those arrests carried out on behalf of local detectives.