This weekend, we take a look back at the big Irvine and Kilwinning stories from July 2004.

Do you remember these photos from 20 years ago this week?

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Miss Quinn’s dance class took a final bow at the Woodlands Primary talent show, just before the schools broke up in 2004.

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Kilwinning man Mikey Hughes – who would later go on to star in Big Brother – celebrated completing his Master of Philosophy degree, despite losing his sight half way through the course.

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Work was underway on one of the area’s biggest housing developments in 2004. The huge 200-acre site at Montgomerie Park just outside Irvine would create 800 new houses for sale. North Ayrshire Provost Drew Duncan is pictured breaking ground at the site.

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Irvine artist David Reid has scooped a prestigious prize at the 2004 North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition. The 42-year-old painter picked up the Visitor’s Prize - voted by the 1660 members of the public who visited the eighth annual event - for his portrait called ‘Sarah’.

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Dreghorn-born MSP Nicola Sturgeon withdrew her bid for the SNP leadership in July 2004 – to run as rival candidate Alex Salmond’s deputy. She told the Irvine Times she owed her success to the backing of her family. Her parents Joan and Robin still stay in Irvine. She said: “They are very supportive, they are behind me 100 per cent. I probably wouldn’t be able to do half of what I do without them.”

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Children from St Mark’s Primary Out of School Service had a grrrr-reat time in July 2004 when they played host to a bunch of cute and cuddly teddy bears.