January: The year started with the announcement that Guisborough's largest store, Sunwins, was to close with the loss of 23 jobs.

Meanwhile, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council announced there would be no increases in council tax for the next 12 months.

February: The area was devastated when steel giant Corus announced it was axing 1,100 jobs from its plants throughout Teesside, mainly at Redcar and Lackenby. A huge campaign to force a re-think failed, although a series of regeneration measures were announced.

At the same time, industrial estates in Skelton and Liverton were awarded £1m for development.

Youngsters in Guisborough got a new play area at Butt Lane thanks to Guisborough Town Council.

March: Footpaths and bridleways in East Cleveland were closed as the fear of foot-and-mouth grew, although some walkers decided to ignore the keep out signs and continued trekking up Roseberry Topping. The Prime Minister's father-in-law, Tony Booth, addressed pensioners in Redcar and urged them to stand up for their rights.

April: A 25-year campaign for an upgrade of Marske by-pass ended in defeat when Redcar and Cleveland Council obtained a court order to sell land near the Mickledales and Ings estates for housing.

May: Work began on a new home for Redcar and Cleveland Council at a new estate off Rectory Lane in Guisborough, which was awarded a share of £100m to regenerate market towns.

People in Carlin How formed a residents action group in an effort to get itself noticed after villagers complained it was the "forgotten village."

Loftus man Stephen Butters, 41, stabbed his 19-year-old bride, Claire, to death. The pair had married in secret four days earlier in Guisborough. Butters was later jailed for life.

Lord Zetland revealed plans for a new £100m racecourse to be built at Dunsdale Farm as Redcar WMC won the Pub Cup and went to play in Europe.

June: London lawyer Vera Baird is elected as Redcar MP, successor to Mo Mowlam. Ashok Kumar won the biggest swing in the North-East to secure his Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland seat for a second term.

July: Saltburn Pier was reopened following a £1.3m facelift. Work began on Redcar's long-awaited £26m Regent Walk shopping centre.

August: Three men died following an explosion at the Enron Power Plant at Wilton.

People gathered at Redcar Racecourse to enjoy a fun day and full racing fixture thanks to The Northern Echo, the East Cleveland Advertiser's sister paper.

A £1.3m improvement package to stop sewage causing flooding in Carlin How was announced.

Tenants voted to allow the control of their homes to be transferred to a not-for-profit company that promised £155m of improvements.

September: The battle to save Home Farm at Guisborough from being developed stepped up as fears grew that the tenant farmer would be forced to move out.

Long-awaited plans for a £1.5m sports centre at Skelton were announced.

The new £7.7m Rye Hills School at Redcar and the amalgamated Freebrough Community College opened their doors.

October: Controversy surrounded the opening of two 'sex shops' in Redcar, although owner Mark Davis said his shop, Dominion, was a gothic, alternative and fetish clothing and accessories store.

West Redcar SRB Group offered to pay for the funding of the first stage of plans to get a new swimming pool in Redcar after a support group was set up.

November: The country's most sophisticated lifeboat entered service at Redcar. The £86,000 boat had been bought by the RNLI branch in Leicester.

A man who stabbed his partner to death at their Loftus home was jailed for life. Simon Keogh stabbed 43-year-old teacher Lesley Grant after an argument.

Baird Clothing, in Skelton, cut 70 jobs in the town as part of a restructuring programme.

December: There was fury when bus operator Arriva announced it was cutting back on some services in East Cleveland.

The Clarion was re-launched as The East Cleveland Advertiser and new offices on the High Street in Redcar were opened by Redcar and Cleveland mayor Vilma Collins and Redcar MP and East Cleveland Advertiser columnist Vera Baird.