WE conclude our year in review with the top stories in Meirionnydd and Dwyfor in the second half of the year.

You can catch up on the first part of our year in review here.July• Owners and guests had a lucky escape when a Bryncrug pub was set alight by a lightning strike in the early hours of Wednesday morning as storms raged over Meirionnydd.The Peniarth Arms, which also operates as a B&B, was set alight after its chimney stack was struck by lightning just after midnight.Owner, Suzanne Fox went to investigate when a small explosion covered her in debris from the ceiling.Luckily, no-one was hurt in the strike.• An £8m development in Porthmadog - which promises to create 100 jobs - was given the green light in July.Planners gave the go-ahead for two new retail stores, a garden centre, 60-bedroom hotel with an attached cafe/restaurant and a 174-space car park on the Penamser Industrial Estate.• Jobs at a Porthmadog tax office were saved from the chop.The 17 jobs at Ty Moelwyn had been at risk but in July, the HMRC confirmed that the staff would relocate to the town’s Thedford House site and there were hopes that more Welsh language jobs would be created in the future.August• A blind man was left “immensely distressed” after he and his guide dog were ordered to leave a Meirionnydd shop.Andy Terry, from Stoke-on-Trent, was in Fairbourne and decided to visit the Mini Mart on Beach Road.To his shock and dismay, he and his dog Flame were told to leave the store as dogs were not allowed in the Mini Mart “under any circumstances”.When asked, shop owner Robert North said the dog had been ‘sniffing around the bread’.• A war of words erupted between two Pwllheli shopkeepers over pedestrian safety.Ifor Hughes, of Cigyddion Pwllheli, told the Cambrian News, displays outside the Sugacane Toys shop in the town centre were an “accident waiting to happen” as they were “blocking” the pavement at one of the more dangerous intersections in the area.But the owner of Sugacane Toys hit back saying they had been the target of a long-running campaign of abuse because they are English.• A large yacht caused chaos after crashing into Barmouth’s historic viaduct.Train services had to be suspended over fears of structural damage, but the bridge, which marked its 150th anniversary this year, was given the all clear by engineers.September• Porthmadog FC had reason to celebrate after the club scooped a major award.The club was named as the country’s best ‘Fun Football Provider’ and Gethin Jones, a coach at the club, was thrilled with the recognition they had received.• Plans for a new multi-million-pound bridge across the River Dyfi were unveiled which led to a disagreement between two town councils.Councillors in Tywyn are still arguing that the plans should include a bypass of Machynlleth, which their counterparts on the other side of the river are opposed to.• Concerns were raised over ‘hooligan drivers’ using an old military camp in Tywyn as an illegal race track. Neighbours to the Morfa Camp off Sandilands Road said they wanted something done before someone gets seriously hurt.October• The Llyn community rallied together after six-year-old Evie Hughes was diagnosed with a brain tumour.Evie’s teacher at Ysgol Morfa Nefyn recommended to her parents, Heather and Geraint, that they take their daughter for an eye test and thought she may need glasses.But, to their horror, the optician informed the couple that their daughter was blind in one eye, which doctors later found was being caused by the effects of a brain tumour.Evie’s parents say they have been overwhelmed by the support locally with several fundraisers being held to help fund a trip to Florida so Evie can receive pioneering proton therapy on the tumour.• There was a job boost for Dolgellau when Nimbus Foods announced it was to invest £1m in the town.The company has a production factory on the Marian Mawr industrial estate and plans to expand its capacity, employing more people in the area.• Councillors in Porthmadog saved two of the area’s public toilets in October - at a cost of £8,000.Town councils across the county had been asked to pay to keep toilets open after Gwynedd Council decided they could not afford to keep them open.Two public conveniences, High Street and Borth y Gest were saved but three others, Tremadog, Morfa Bychan and Lon Gwydryn would close.November• Local rally driver Elfyn Evans became the first Welshman to win Wales Rally GB.It was the first World Rally Championship event win for Elfyn, son of former British champion Gwyndaf Evans, who controlled the rally event from start to finish, completing the race a cool 37.3 seconds ahead of second-placed Thierry Neuville.• A domesticated pig called George has caused a bit of a stir in Dolgellau.Curious residents were amazed to see a pig on a leash wandering around town with his owners.George the micro pig, who is six months old and fully house trained, is the latest addition to the Jones family and lives with them in their home and even has his own social media page and furniture.Lisa Marie Jones, George’s ‘mummy’, said: “George is our family pet pig who loves living with us in the house. He’s house trained and enjoys sleeping on the sofa.”• A Tywyn grandmother was named the world champion Welsh Cake maker.Bev Marsh’s Welsh Cakes were crowned the best in the world after a bake-off from cooks all over Wales.Amazingly, it was only the second time Bev had ever made the cakes!December• Around 50 schoolchildren had to take lessons in a community centre after their classroom was flooded on the Llyn Peninsula.Pupils at Ysgol Pont y Gof in Botwnnog, moved into Congl Meinciau business centre after a burst river flooded their school, leaving two classrooms out of action until the new year.• A Tywyn toddler was forced to wait two hours for an ambulance after suffering a potentially fatal seizure.The parents of Alexis ‘Lexi’ Bessant spoke of their horror when their two-year-old started convulsing.She was taken to Tywyn Hospital by parents, Jon and Sarah, but had to wait two hours for an ambulance to arrive. • Snow brought many parts of Gwynedd to a standstill with several schools shut for a day.Heavy snow and freezing conditions left many roads treacherous and 18 schools were forced to close as children enjoyed a snow day.