The death of legendary street figure Horace White was the most read story on the Times Series website in 2012.

Web figures published today show more than 34,000 people read the initial report into the much-loved 54-year-old’s sudden passing on September 24.

Horace was extremely well-known in the North Finchley area where he hung around outside shops and chatted to passers-by for more than three decades.

Coverage of his untimely death and subsequent tributes that poured in during the following days attracted huge interest on social networking sites too.

As well as being the most read, the story headlined ‘Legendary street figure Horace has died’ was tweeted more times than any other article.

On the Times and Independent Series Facebook page, four stories covering Horace’s death filled the top four most ‘liked’ by readers, a tribute to the popularity of the man.

The second most popular was our live coverage of a dramatic situation in East Barnet on January 11 when police were left in a stand-off with a man hanging out of a block of flats waiving a crossbow.

The man was eventually talked down from his flat and after receiving treatment in hospital, was committed under the Mental Health Act.

The tragic death of retired social worker Hilary Lee, who was fatally struck by a lorry as she cycled through High Barnet on October 16, was also in the top-five most read stories.

Meanwhile, a video of the daring jewellery raid by a gang on motorcycles in Brent Cross and a report on alleged abusive comments made by Councillor Brian Coleman during a public meeting also made the top ten.

Smash-and-grab thieves stole an estimated £2million of jewellery during the Brent Cross raid on November 6, while Councillor Coleman was investigated for allegedy swearing at a member of the public on April 4.

The story on Councillor Coleman and the coverage of the armed man were also among the most tweeted and most ‘liked’ on Facebook.

A pre-piece detailing an open day at rugby club Saracens' new home at the former Copthall Stadium, now named Allianz Park, attracted the most read comments this year.

The rugby team was the subject of a story that came in second place on the most commented list too, with a report into sports clubs throwing their support behind Saracens’ move from Vicarage Road.