THE summer months saw a Cowdenbeath taxi company rocked by an explosion at their base in the town.

Meanwhile the very wet weather caused flooding in Cowdenbeath and Cardenden while the National Mining Museum of Scotland showed increased interest in creating a coal industry heritage site at Lochore Meadows Country Park.

July

Community power beat the fireraisers to ensure the 2019 Benarty Gala took place after 24 hours earlier the portable toilets needed to allow the event to take place were destroyed by a mysterious blaze.

Thanks to work by Beath High School pupils the a memorial rockery was created in the Lindsay Colliery Memorial Garden.

Cowdenbeath Football Club players Robbie Buchanan and Fraser Mullen were involved in a car accident heading towards the club's St Andrews training camp.

The sun shone strongly on Kelty Gala and the streets of the village were were packed on a lovely day.

Cowdenbeath councillor, Darren Watt, was highly concerned that the A909, running through the town, had been classed as one of the most dangerous roads in the UK.

Plans for 43 homes at the former John Reid Timber Yard in Crossgates were given the green light by Fife Council.

Despite having no marketing budget the new Glencraig Fife Cycle Park attracted 11,000 visitors in its first year.

The LADAMA Theatre School's Little Mermaid production at Lochgelly Centre was a huge success.

A continuous downpour flooded Mossbank, in Cowdenbeath, and left resident Ian Thomson facing repairs costing a big sum of money.

Four neighbours in Blair Street, Kelty, got their summer off to a winning start with £60,000 Postcode Lottery win.

The National Mining Museum, at Newtongrange, backed the Save the Cage plans for a mining heritage site at Lochore Meadows Country Park.

The newly elected Lochgelly Community Council urged people to tell them of their concerns about the inadequacies of Lochgelly Health Centre so that they could place these with Scottish health Minister Jeane Freeman.

Cowdenbeath Area Committee underlined the importance of tackling youth suicides after several local cases had occurred.

Despite horrible wet weather Lumphinnans Fun Day went ahead with children having a great time despite heavy rain earlier in the day.

August

A fire struck Cowdenbeath Taxi Service's base at Woodend Industrial Estate which saw an explosion in one of the units cause severe damage.

A Cowdenbeath driver was caught speeding at 120mph on the A92 near the town.

Cardenden Community Council said that heavy August rainstorms which caused serious flooding showed that a proposed 48 home plan for houes at Woodend was simply wrong.

Cowdenbeath was nominated in the Rising Star category for the Great British High Street awards.

The previously highly successful Shell sponsored Twilight Basketball initiative was set to start at Benarty Centre to provide fun and engagement for 11 to 21 year-olds.

Plan were announced for the first ever Cowdenbeath 5K run which would set off from Central Park on the first Sunday in September.

Cardenden Boxing Club celebrated its 100th birthday with a special evening at Bowhill Centre.

Despite the weather being a bit variable Lochgelly Gala Day turned out to be a great success.

A major mechanical breakdown at the Fife Ethylene Plant saw two boilers go out of action and a period of intense flaring start.

Mossbank flooded again in Cowdenbeath as thunderstorms struck the town.

Two ministers, Rev Geoff Probert (St Serfs Lochgelly and Benarty), and Graham Kinloch (Cowdenbeath Baptist Church) left the area to follow new paths in the ministry.

One of Cowdenbeath's most successful managers, Andy Matthew, was remembered by the club when the upstairs lounge at Central Park was named after him at a special ceremony.

Kelty woman, Barbara Boyd, had to learn to talk again after suffering from mouth cancer but she was determined that people should know of the dangers of the condition and self examine their mouth.

The latest piece of street art in Cowdenbeath by Kerry Wilson saw a huge mural unveiled at the Green Square.

Temperatures soared as Cardenden Village Fair took place in fantastic weather and thousands of people took part.

September

Warnings signs to stay away from the loch wer put in place at Lochore Meadows Country Park after a large number of dead fish were found.

The Fife Ethylene Plant was expected to stay closed for eight more weeks as boiler replacements were being installed.

Lochgelly's Zodiac School of Dance won several titles at the UDO World Street Dance Championships held in England.

Past and present footballers of Torleys FC in Lochgelly came together to play a memorial match for club stalwart Stuart Gallacher who died aged 59.

Robbers fled from a Cardenden home in Jamphlars Road with a range of jewellery.

Cardenden Environment Group were over the moon when the village received Gold status in the Beautiful Fife Awards.

The Cowdenbeath 5K event turned out to be a huge success with over 200 runners enjoying superb weather with Kenny Gorman of Fife AC winning the gents race and Angela Sandilands the first woman home.

A Ballingry mum, Kimberley Guild, was shocked to find a bug in grapes her ten year-old son was about to eat.

Despite the poor summer weather Cowdenbeath Flower Show was full of colourful displays.

The 2019 John Thomson football tournament in Cardenden saw JT All Stars emerge as winners.

Cowdenbeath Travel Agents, Moorelands, had to work hard to give people let down by the crash of travel company Thomas Cook fresh holiday dreams.

ScotRail managing director confirmed to Fife MSP Alex Rowley that there would be now new trains for the Fife Circle serving Cowdenbeath, Cardenden and Lochgelly stations before next summer.

Lochgelly Health Centre was branded 'not fit for purpose' in a report that went before the Fife Health Service Board.