Merry Christmas to all our readers! We hope you’re all having a great day.

Here, we’re taking a look back at the heartwarming stories we’ve reported on across Kent this year, which we hope will bring some festive cheer today.

‘Lovely lads’ to the rescue

First up is an article about some “lovely young lads” from Kent who stepped in to help two pensioners catch their flight on time after “pandemonium” broke out on the way to Gatwick.

Wendy Shaw, 65, and her pal Pat Lawrence, both from Sheppey, were on a train to the airport which suddenly had to terminate at East Croydon.

The scene at the station was “chaotic”, with “the world and his wife” trying to grab a cab to Gatwick but luckily, Lewis and Jack kindly said Wendy and Pat could jump in an Uber with them.

Teens help save man’s life on beach

A group of courageous teenagers helped save the life of a man who fell into diabetic shock on the beach in May.

Returning from a swim, the four girls noticed the individual lying prone on his back in Margate, and had “a gut feeling” he was in trouble.

Paramedics later heaped praise on the “quick-thinking” group who should be “very proud” for helping the man receive the emergency care he urgently needed.

Shopping list scribbles

A dad-of-three’s creative shopping list which was discovered by a trolley assistant sparked much amusement in March.

Dean Perry said his doodles help cheer up his wife, who accidentally left the piece of paper at the Tesco Superstore in Manston Road, Ramsgate.

The 49-year-old's humorous list attracted lots of attention after being shared on social media.

Lambs in nappies!

Making elderly residents at a care home smile were these lambs wearing babies’ nappies.

The baby sheep visited Harrier Lodge care home in Whitstable and certainly lit up the faces of those living there.

Bride’s digger dash through the Dartford Tunnel

We also reported on a spirited bride who marked her wedding day by travelling more than 40 miles via the Dartford Tunnel in a JCB 3CX digger.

Jessica Clair Bull drove herself to the special occasion in the vehicle thanks to help from the Diggerland amusement park in Strood.

Miracle baby returns after 18 years to thank staff

A "miracle baby" returning to the hospital where she was born three months premature to thank the staff who saved her life is another heartwarming story we’ve covered this year.

Lorraine Che was cared for at the Oliver Fisher Neonatal Baby Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham when she was born in September 2005.

She weighed just 850g when her mum Jenny gave birth to her at 26 weeks and spent three months in hospital before she could take her home. However, 18 years on Lorraine is now in Year 13 studying A-levels in maths, computer science and IT at Folkestone School for Girls.

From sleeping in car to alpaca Airbnb

An ambulance worker who was forced to live in his car after finding himself homeless was offered an Airbnb on an alpaca farm following KentOnline’s article highlighting his plight.

Bogumil Kusiba was subletting a property in Cambrian Grove, Gravesend, but was told he needed to leave by the end of September after his landlord announced he was selling up.

He began searching for spare rooms but said there were no affordable options. The 54-year-old was later offered a long-term agreement to stay on Valley View Alpaca Farm, in Hartlip, between Sittingbourne and Gillingham.

Mystery chocolate gifts

Random acts of kindness have also not gone unnoticed in the county, such as when a mysterious gift giver left chocolate on car windscreens.

Several people across Sittingbourne found a box of Swizzels Love Hearts chocolate on their car after going shopping.

Stars drop by for brekkie

Celebrities have also made us smile on their visits to the county, including football star Rio Ferdinand who surprised diners tucking into breakfast at a cafe in Rainham.

The former Man United and England star popped into the Parkwood Cafe for bacon, eggs and toast before posing with fans for photos.

Filming for the hit Netflix Series The Crown also left residents in Rochester beaming as they spotted actor Dominic West in the high street, which was transformed into the streets of Windsor.

A royal horse and a humpback whale

Feel-good stories about animals have also been among those making us smile, including this one about more than 30 dogs and puppies rescued from a house after their owner was found dead now being on the road to recovery.

We’ve also reported on dogs being reunited with their owners, including a pair of spaniels who were found by police in Maidstone and Jack Russell Woody who was brought home after being gone for 10 days over the Christmas period.

Meanwhile in May, a horse became a celebrity in her village after parading the streets dressed up like royalty.

Kizzy, a three-year-old miniature Shetland pony, was spotted walking around Cliffe, with her owner Nicky Tucker, wearing a crown.

The outfit was meant to be for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last year but it came a day too late because of the postal strikes. Nevertheless, she left everyone she saw smiling.

But it is not just pets which have been catching our attention.

A huge humpback whale was caught on camera in the English Channel bashing its tail against the water in April. Meanwhile, an adorable video of a seal frolicking in a river was shared last month.

Damian Aspinall, chairman of The Aspinall Foundation which runs Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury and Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve near Hythe, also shared a lovely video on Instagram of him with a gorilla.

In the clip, he is crouching in front of the primate inside her enclosure at Howletts. He strokes her and appears to be speaking to her before she takes his cap off his head and puts it on herself backwards.

He also shared a video of a pair of lion cubs which he and his daughter had hand-reared after their mother died during birth. In the clip, he is giving one of them a ride on his back.

The Aspinall Foundation boss said he would do his best to keep Zemo and Zala alive and the pair are now in an enclosure at Howletts for the public to see.

The lion cub could be seen licking Damian’s hair and ear before Zala jumped up at the pair.