This week, we take a look back at the big Irvine and Kilwinning stories from September 2014.

And the biggest story of them all was the impending Scottish Independence Referendum, with just days to go before the big vote.

(Image: Newsquest)

Irvine Beat FM held a lively Talk-In debate on the referendum that week. MP Brian Donohoe represented the Better Together campaign while MSP Margaret Burgess represented Yes Scotland in a debate hosted by Irvine Times reporters Ciaran Shanks and John McNee.

(Image: Newsquest)

Eglinton Growers were on top form during their open day in September 2014. Jason Kam, Stuart Brown, Wendy Allardyce and Judy Dunlop made sure everyone was well fed.

(Image: Newsquest)

Firefighters fought through the night to control a blaze in Irvine’s Fencedyke Primary School, in September 2014 but were unable to save the building, which was more than 70 per cent destroyed. The school had closed for good that June and investigators revealed the fire had been started on purpose.

(Image: Newsquest)

North Ayrshire’s Streetscene team were named Best Street Cleansing Service Team of the Year at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Service Awards in 2014.

(Image: Newsquest)

The corridor of Ayrshire Central Hospital’s Rainbow House proudly displayed a striking wall mural designed by Ayrshire College student Sarah Boyd of Kilwinning in September 2014.

(Image: Newsquest)

Award-winning author Christopher Brookmyre, pictured centre, visited Irvine in September 2204, to the delight of his army of Ayrshire fans. The Glaswegian appeared at Si! in Kilwinning Road as part of the Tidelines Book Festival and was welcomed by scores of his fans.