The UK year in pictures 2012

27 December 2012 Last updated at 04:16

The UK year in pictures 2012

One event dominated the year in the UK and that was of course the London 2012 Olympics, which began with a spectacular opening ceremony devised by Danny Boyle entitled Isles of Wonder and featured Bradley Wiggins, Kenneth Branagh as Isambard Kingdom Brunel, not forgetting James Bond and the Queen.

The country celebrated as its Olympians took third place in the final medal table behind the United States and China. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were regulars in the crowd and are seen here celebrating as Philip Hindes, Jason Kenny and Sir Chris Hoy of Great Britain win gold and set a new world record in the Men's Team Sprint Track Cycling.

The Paralympics followed and the world watched as records were broken. David Weir made it four wins from four events at London 2012 matching Sarah Storey as Britain's most successful athlete at the Games. Once again, Britain found itself in third place, this time behind China and Russia.

Earlier in the year police and bailiffs had evicted anti-capitalist protesters and removed tents from the Occupy London camp at St Paul's Cathedral, which had been in place since 15 October the previous year. The campaigners had lost a High Court battle which meant the eviction could proceed. During the wrangle the Reverend Giles Fraser resigned as canon chancellor of St Paul's in support of the protesters.

The press was itself on page one for much of the year, with the Leveson inquiry looking at the relationship between the press and the public, including phone-hacking and other potentially illegal behaviour, and at the relationships between the press and the police and the press and politicians. Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks was one of those at the centre of events and in November she was charged over alleged payments to police and public officials.

David Cameron vowed "to get behind people who want to get on in life" to ensure Britain can "rise" again. In his speech to the Conservative Party's annual conference, Britain's prime minister admitted the economic recovery was taking longer than expected.

Ed Miliband has attempted to snatch the centre ground of British politics by declaring that Labour is now the "one-nation" party. The phrase - normally associated with moderate Tories - was repeatedly used by the Labour leader as he roamed the stage at Manchester during his party's annual conference.

About one million people enjoyed the 48th Notting Hill Carnival in west London, the biggest street festival in Europe.

Former horse-rider Claire Lomas, 32, has a spinal injury but still completed the London Marathon after 16 days thanks to a pair of robotic legs which have allowed her to walk again.

A vigil was held at the scene where PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes died from bullet wounds in an attack in Mottram. About 400 people attended the service, despite the pouring rain, which featured addresses from Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy and the Reverend James Halstead.

A stencilled image appeared on the wall of a Poundland discount shop in the Wood Green area of north London and is believed to be the work of the artist Banksy.

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee was celebrated throughout the year, but one wet weekend in June was the highpoint when a series of celebrations took place, including the Thames River Pageant, the first of its kind for 350 years. The Queen has called her Diamond Jubilee "a humbling experience", saying she had been "touched deeply" by seeing so many people celebrating together.

The Queen spent the year touring the country as well as farther afield. Here she cheers alongside Prince Philip and Prince Charles as competitors participate in a sack race at the Braemar Gathering in Aberdeenshire.

Andy Murray ended Britain's 76-year wait for a male Grand Slam singles champion with an epic victory over Novak Djokovic in the US Open tennis final.

By the end of the year, police confirmed that the number of alleged sex abuse victims of the late Jimmy Savile had reached 450. Savile, who died last year aged 84, was a Radio 1 DJ and the presenter of the Jim'll Fix It show on 91热爆 One. His gravestone was removed from a Scarborough cemetery and sent to landfill following a request from the family.

Thousands of people around the UK endured more problems caused by flooding with the country hit by the most intense September storm in 30 years.

The next Archbishop of Canterbury set out his support for the ordination of women bishops as his appointment was officially confirmed. Justin Welby, seen here with his wife, Caroline, said his appointment as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury was "astonishing and exciting". But before he had taken office, the ordination of women bishops in the Church of England was narrowly rejected by its ruling general synod.

As 2012 drew to a close, Chancellor George Osborne hosted his yearly Christmas party for the Starlight charity at Number 11 Downing Street.

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The UK year in pictures 2012

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