AS THE new year rolls around, we take a look back at the top articles from 2015!

Below are the top stories from Ceredigion and Powys from January until April - check back tomorrow for more roundups from the year.

January

In Ceredigion and Powys, the year got off to a good start with a woman who has dedicated 42 years of her life to Girl Guiding and a Cardigan man heavily involved in helping preserve Britain’s industrial heritage were named in the New Year Honours list.

Judith Ann Walters, 67, who has held various roles in the guiding movement, received an MBE for services to young people. Paul William Evans, curator of the Internal Fire Museum of Power, at Tanygroes, received a British Empire Medal for services to the preservation and promotion of British Industrial heritage and tourism.

Motorists faced traffic chaos in and around Aberystwyth because of roadworks and snow.

Primrose Hill in Llanbadarn Fawr was closed to traffic for “high friction resu rfacing, the A44 between Aberystwyth and Llangurig was closed because of snow and there were further traffic problems thanks to the Mill Street closure and traffic lights on Llanbadarn Road and on the A487 at Llanfarian.

Elsewhere, the gates closed for the last time at Potters Yard recycling centre, Machynlleth.

February

AN Aberystwyth woman lost the battle to save her home when it was knocked down to make way for a supermarket in Aberystwyth in February.

Enid Jones’ house was one of 12 houses knocked down in Glyndwr Road to make way for the Tesco and Marks & Spencer development.

Mrs Jones, 59, who was the only resident not to voluntarily move out, was nowhere to be seen when, at 1.30pm on 6 February, her former home came crashing to the ground.

The 30th anniversary celebrations of Y Tabernacl, Machynlleth, reached fever pitch in February when opera star Bryn Terfel performed in the intimate venue.

Also performing was Hannah Stone, official harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales. Tabernacl founder Richard Lambert, of Y Tabernacl, said: “It was such a wonderful experience, and totally worthy of our anniversary celebrations.”

Wales Office minister, Baroness Randerson, visited Ceredigion to celebrate women in business.

Baroness Randerson, a recognised champion of women’s rights, visited the Chuckling Goat Farm in Brynhoffnant, outside Llandysul, a thriving enterprise run by American-born Shann Jones, which produces renowned goats’ milk-based cosmetics which are fast gaining in popularity.

March

THE Anatomy of a Football Season was launched to mark 50 years since Llanidloes Football Club last won the Welsh Amateur Cup.

Robert Hughes and Lyn Meredith collaborated to celebrate the anniversary.

Staff at the Welsh Wildlife Centre in Cilgerran spoke of their shock after one of the park’s wooden bird-spotting hides was destroyed in a mystery fire.

Just two days after it was destroyed, almost £1,000 in donations had been pledged with the centre’s Facebook page outlining the incident had been read by almost 50,000 people.

Vandals also damaged equipment at the osprey centre near Machynlleth.

Three Cardigan lifeboatmen – helmsmen Derek Pusey and Len Walters, and volunteer crewman Clive Williams – received a bravery award for risking their lives to save two people stranded on a ledge amongst steep rocks in September 2013.

April

CALLS were made for the county council to buy Aberystwyth’s iconic pier.

Owners Don Leisure Limited called in administrators because of poor trading results for the pier just after announcing a range of events to celebrate the famous attraction’s 150th birthday.

New measures to stop caravans and motor homes parking overnight on Aberystwyth’s South Promenade came in to force.

The controversial move was introduced after complaints from local residents that some vehi­cles were being parked for lengthy periods.

Hundreds flocked to see the newly restored Cardigan castle.

Where have all the mussels gone? That was the question locals in Aberporth asked in April after noticing that the distinctive molluscs had abandoned rocks in their droves.