A wild pig chase, the death of Nelson Mandela and picture with a member of the Royal Family all made the news in December.

The Comet: Barbara Follett, left, with Nelson MandelaBarbara Follett, left, with Nelson Mandela (Image: Archant)

• Police officers went on a wild pig chase after reports that an animal was in a road “behaving aggressively”.

The Comet: Mina Habib, with the 'selfie' he took with Prince CharlesMina Habib, with the 'selfie' he took with Prince Charles (Image: Archant)

It took seven officers and several members of the public to capture the pig, who had escaped from an address in Croft Lane, Letchworth GC,

The Comet: Ed Miliband speaks to construction workersEd Miliband speaks to construction workers (Image: Archant)

The minature pot belly has since been rehomed.

• Tributes were paid to former South African president Nelson Mandela, who died aged 95.

Former Stevenage MP Barbara Follett, who met the Nobel Peace Prize winner while living in South Africa, described him as her “inspiration”.

• The Prince of Wales made an appearance at the Coptic Orthodox Church Centre in Stevenage, where an 11-year-old boy made national headlines for his ‘selfie’ picture with His Royal Highness.

Mina Habib said he “didn’t wait for the bodyguards to push me out of the way” before taking the snap with Prince Charles.

• Labour leader Ed Miliband launched an attack on North Herts District Council during a visit to Stevenage.

He described the authority as a “stick-in-the-mud council” for blocking plans to build thousands of homes on Green Belt land on the edge of Stevenage.