Your Local Guardian's Top 10 most read news stories of 2013 in south-west London and Surrey

Unsurprisingly crime stories and major incidents were the most popular with readers

Here are the top 10 articles in order of how many times they were viewed:

1. Two people in hospital after false widow spider bites in Sutton

False widow spiders were first sighted in southeast London in August, then North Cheam in September. By October we were being inundated with reports of the eight-legged terrors all over south-west London.

The spiders cause a lot of discomfort if they bite you - as this picture shows.

2. Police search for missing 12-year-old girl 

Missing people stories are usually widely read on our websites because our readers take the time to share the story with their friends and family via email, Twitter and on Facebook in particular. 

3. Man murdered at Ladbrokes in Morden

A betting shop employee was bludgeoned to death near Morden station in September. A murder trial would later find Shafiq Aarij guilty of killing Andrew Iacovou (pictured).

The Sutton Guardian and Wimbledon Guardian have since launched a 'Safe Bet' campaign which calls on bookmakers to end the practice of 'single-manning' in betting shops.

4. Child snatched in churchyard on way to school

Parents in Hampton were on alert after a man tried to abduct a nine-year-old girl while she was walking to school.

5. Toxic false widow spiders sighted across Sutton and now in Coulsdon

After an outbreak of false widow spiders in North Cheam, many more sightings were reported by readers in Sutton and Croydon. 

It also proved that sometimes our readers are our best reporters. James from Sutton said: "I heard the frantic buzzing of a wasp caught in its web. I watched it spin and wrap the wasp up. It was a pretty ruthless thing."

6. Estate agent refuses to publish pictures of for sale house. But why?

An otherwise normal-looking surburban house in Epsom contained a mystery so secret that the estate agent would not show any photo of its interior "due to the owners’ hobby".

Was a real-life Bruce Wayne looking to flog his Surrey batcave? Did the house contain a row of dominoes so delicate and intricate that even the click of a camera shutter would ruin a year's work? The mystery is yet to be revealed...

7. Police dip into pockets for elderly man who had life savings stolen

A real feel-good story about how police in Croydon raised money for a burglary victim whose life savings had been stolen. And they even baked him a birthday cake! 

8. Large fire in Mitcham warehouse

In September a fire at a medical supplies warehouse caused a huge plume of smoke which could be seen for miles across south-west London on a clear Sunday afternoon.

9. 'Don't panic, false widow spiders are everywhere'

After false widow spiders were first spotted in Sutton and Croydon, there was also a deluge of sighting from residents in Richmond and Twickenham.

10. Absconded murderer could be in Richmond, police say

In September we reported how Derek Passmore, a man who committed murder in 1996, left prison on day release and never came back. He has not been reported found since then.

And finally... thank you!

The entire team at the South London Guardian series would like to thank all those who read and commented on our articles this year.

We hope that you find our news, sport, leisure and local information service useful and entertaining and we will continue to provide the highest possible standards of reporting for our area in 2014 and beyond.

And have a happy festive season with best wishes for the New Year.

As always, if you have a story to tell, opinion to voice, or have a query, please do not hesitate to contact us on 020 8722 6392 or email digitalmedia@london.newsquest.co.uk.