It was another year packed with exciting, heartwarming – and sometimes heartbreaking – stories in Buckinghamshire in 2018.

Here are the top 36 stories from the Bucks Free Press last year, based on the number of views the articles received.

January:

  1. 20-year-old man from High Wycombe dies following crash on A404 Marlow on New Year's Day’
  2. Man charged after three people 'stabbed' at Winkers nightclub in Chalfont St Peter in early hours of New Year's Day
  3. First pictures emerge of 'loyal and funny' Jordan Coupland killed in horror A404 Marlow bypass crash


The devastating news of a fatal car crash on the A404 in Marlow dominated the headlines in January last year.

The top most-read article, highlighting the tragic death of 20-year-old Jordan Coupland on New Year’s Day, was seen more than 31,000 times.

Another article about the awful incident, which featured tributes to Jordan, was the third most-read with more than 22,000 views.

The second most-read article was a story about a “stabbing” at Winkers Nightclub in Chalfont St Peter in the early hours of New Year’s Day, which was seen almost 23,000 times.

February:

  1. BODY FOUND: Dead man discovered in The Rye, High Wycombe
  2. Valentine’s Day: 43 restaurants with the worst hygiene ratings across Wycombe, South Bucks and Chiltern districts
  3. WEATHER UPDATE: Strong winds and heavy snow set to hit Bucks


There was further tragedy in the news this month, with the discovery of a man’s body in The Dyke at The Rye, early on February 21. It was the third death at The Rye in as many years. The sad news was read more than 57,000 times.

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the Bucks Free Press published a list of restaurants with the worst hygiene ratings in Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks districts. This list always draws in thousands of readers – and was read more than 27,500 times.

A snow warning from the Met Office was our third most-read story that month, with over 21,000 views.

March:

  1. 'Bad stock' of puppies found abandoned in field in Wendover
  2. Cars left 'scattered across the carriageway' after crash on M40 involving several vehicles
  3. Police cordon off section of woodland near M40 in Boundary Road, Loudwater
     

The awful treatment of five puppies who were found dumped at a farm was our most read story of the month with more than 60,000 views.

A car crash involving several vehicles on the M40 also made the headlines on March 18 and was read over 24,000 times.

The third most-read story came on March 16 when police cordoned off part of woodland in Loudwater to carry out a search.

April:

  1. Men try to grab toddler in alleyway near Warren Wood Drive, High Wycombe, sparking kidnap fears
  2. Police descend on Hazlemere, near Inkerman Drive
  3. UPDATE: Police cordon off underpass and Great Missenden Pelicans Cricket Club near Nags Head pub, Great Missenden, after sex assault
     

Crime once again made the headlines across Bucks this month. The most-read story, with nearly 53,000 views, came after two men were spotted trying to grab a toddler near The Rye.

Police activity in Hazlemere was the second most-read with over 33,000 views, and a sexual assault in Great Missenden received over 25,000 views.

May:

  1. Traffic chaos as lorry crashes into M40 barrier near junction 2 for Beaconsfield and sheds its load
  2. E-fit released after teenager raped in Hazlemere
  3. Tragic young woman, Emily Morrell, 'took her own life after argument with boyfriend'
     

Delays on the M40 following a lorry crash had nearly 24,000 views, while an e-fit of man released in connection with a rape had 23,000.

An inquest report into a young woman’s death had 17, 000 views.

June:

  1. Man attempts to abduct 11-year-old girl in Briery Way, Amersham
  2. House of Fraser in High Wycombe's Eden Shopping Centre set to close as part of 'rescue plan'
  3. Angry shopper accuses Waitrose High Wycombe of 'alienating' customers after being fined for staying too long
     

Another attempted abduction, this time in Amersham, was the most-read story in June, with nearly 19,000 views.

An announcement that House of Fraser in High Wycombe was set to close – a decision that was later reversed – outraged shoppers and the story was read almost 18,000 times.

Meanwhile, a shopper’s disagreement with Waitrose over a parking fine was the third most popular story with over 16,000 views.

July:

  1. MARLOW FIRE: Long delays on A404 as firefighters tackle field fire affecting 10 acres of land in Little Marlow
  2. MARLOW FIELD BLAZE: Inferno spreads to industrial units in Little Marlow as roads grind to a halt
  3. 27-year-old man from High Wycombe killed after being struck by train at High Wycombe railway station
     

July saw a huge blaze devastate acres of land in Little Marlow, destroying a family home. Two stories covering the fire, including a live blog, were the first and second most-read stories. The top story received more than 68,000 views and the second reached almost 45,000 views.

A tragic death at High Wycombe railway station was the third most-read story with over 43,000 views.

August:

  1. Five teenagers charged with kidnap and assault after 11-year-old boys subjected to 'terrifying attack' in Denham
  2. Man killed after being struck by train at High Wycombe railway station named as Ricki Weeks
  3. 27-year-old man from High Wycombe killed after being struck by train at High Wycombe railway station
     

The top most-read story this month received nearly 22,000 views. Two reports about the sad death of High Wycombe resident, Ricki Weeks, were the second and third most-read stories with 17,000 and 14,000 views respectively.

September:

  1. Police and forensics at house in Bowerdean Road, High Wycombe
  2. McDonald's home delivery comes to High Wycombe
  3. Two women arrested in connection with 'armed robbery' at village supermarket
     

Police activity at a house in High Wycombe was the most-read story in September, pulling in over 12,000 views.

The second most-read was the exciting news that McDonald’s in High Wycombe was set to start home delivery, which got over 11,000 views.

The arrests of two women in connection with a supermarket robbery was the third most-read with more than 10,000 views.

October:

  1. CARNAGE: Serious incident as 'caravan travels wrong way down M40 before major crash'
  2. Food hygiene shock: BFP reveals 43 restaurants with the worst ratings across Wycombe, South Bucks and Chiltern districts
  3. Teenager dies after police called out to Flackwell Heath for fear of welfare incident
     

A major incident on the M40 which saw three people die was the most-read story in October with nearly 56,000 views.

Our second food hygiene ratings article of the year was our second most-read story with over 33,500 views.

An article about the heartbreaking death of a teenager was the third-most read with 27,000 views.

November:

  1. Teenagers arrested after man found with stab wounds in Paget Close, Marlow
  2. HALLOWEEN HORROR: Man left with burns to face after 'chemical attack' by 'trick-or-treater'
  3. DENHAM AIR CRASH: Two injured after helicopter nosedives at aerodrome
     

A man found with stab wounds in Marlow was the top story in November with 28,000 views.

A horrifying Halloween incident in High Wycombe received nearly 15,000 views and an air crash in Denham had 13,000 views.

December:

  1. Tesco Loudwater shut after burglars break in
  2. Woman killed on M40: Serious crash between junction 4 (High Wycombe) and 5 (Stokenchurch)
  3. Chesham cemetery scandal: Widow heartbroken after 'men spotted having sex on husband's memorial'
     

A burglary at Tesco in Loudwater was the top-read story with more than 16,000 views.

The sad death of a woman on the M40 was the second most-read story with over 11,500 views and a scandal at Chesham cemetery was the third most popular story with readers – with over 8,000 views.