The North Circular was brought to a standstill in September when a large underground water pipe burst, flooding the busy carriageway.

Thames Water engineers worked tirelessly to drain the small lake that appeared near the Brent Cross Flyover and more than 7,000 homes were left without water.

Meanwhile, the court case began into the death of 24-year-old Azelle Rodney, who was fatally shot by police marksmen in Edgware.

And Barnet Council started legal action to remove squatters who had occupied Friern Barnet Library since the start of the month.

Community groups opposed to its initial closure opened their own library at the former centre and eventually amassed a collection of 8,000 donated books.

The legal battle would run until late December, when a possession order was granted to the local authority.

September ended with the sudden death of much-loved North Finchley character Horace White.

More than 34,000 people logged on to the Times Series website to read about the 54-year-old’s sudden passing and tributes flooded in.

Horace was extremely well known in the North Finchley High Road, where he would hang around outside shops and chat to passers-by.

More than 10,000 people ‘liked’ a tribute page set up on Facebook and more than 6,000 signed a web petition for a bench in his memory.