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The World Cup, and Michael Schumacher's battle to recover from a brain injury following a skiing accident in 2013 have been the most searched for topics of the year.

These terms beat searches for the launch of the new iPhone, and the trial of Oscar Pistorius, according to search engine Yahoo.

The internet company analysed billions of searches made using Yahoo during 2014 to produce a report on the issues that most captured the British public's imagination.

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Germany's high scoring performances on the national side's march to victory at the World Cup in Brazil helped to make the competition the most searched term in 2014 by users of Yahoo

In its annual Year in Review, Yahoo said the World Cup - with its record goals and the now notorious biting incident involving Luis Suarez - was the most searched for topic. 

The World Cup gained a fifth more searches than those looking for updates throughout the year on Michael Schumacher's medical struggle. 

The retired F1 driver suffered horrific brain injuries in a skiing accident at the end of 2013.

Surprisingly, given the hype that surrounds Apple's devices and the clamour to get hold of one, the launch of the new iPhone 6 was in third place, with the fortunes of Manchester United in fourth.

Apple's iPhone 6 was the most searched technology term but failed to capture the public's imagination in the same way as other major news stories

Major news stories such as the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, the trial of Oscar Pistorius and the spread of Ebola in Africa also made the top 20 list.

Peaches Geldof, Madeleine McCann, Robin Williams, the Scottish Referendum, Rolf Harris, Ebola and Rik Mayall also featured. 

However, perhaps the most surprising trend was in celebrity searches, where Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid, 44, beat the likes of Kim Kardashian, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Miley Cyrus to top the list of celebrity searches.

Despite tumbling ratings on the ITV show, the former BBC Breakfast presenter did not even feature in the top 20 searches last year, but has grown in fame after reaching the 2013 final of Strictly Come Dancing. 

Jennifer Lawrence, who was among dozens of celebrities to fall victim to hackers that managed gain access to intimate pictures stored on Apple's iCloud, was the second most searched celebrity while One Direction, Beyonce and Jay-Z and Holly Willoughby also made the top 10. 

Yahoo is Britain's third most popular search engine, accounting for around three per cent of the market behind Google and Microsoft's Bing.

Yahoo also compiled a list of 'obsessions', which was again topped by the World Cup, just ahead of Apple's iPhone 6 and Disney's film Frozen. 

Loom Bands and the Ice Bucket Challenge also obsessed the British public.

Yet, many people were also perplexed by the ALS and the challenge, making the question 'What is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?' among the most asked questions on Yahoo.

The most commonly asked question was how to make Loom Bands, followed by those who couldn't work out when Easter and Mother's Day was. 

In eighth place curious Eastender's fans hoping that Yahoo might know something about the plot that they did not, asked: 'Who killed Lucy Beale?' Her killer is expected to be unmasked in a special episode in February 2015. 

Seven-time Forumla One champion Michael Schumacher's battle for life has transfixed fans around the world after his skiing accident in 2013. Searches for updates about his condition made him the second most searched topic on Yahoo as the public tried to get news about his health and the care he has been receiving

Disney's heartwarming story Frozen earned itself two Oscars for best animated feature, and song with Let It Go earlier this year, helping to win it a place in the most searched topics on the internet

Luis Suarez was the most searched for sporting star, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, Andy Murray and Rory McIlroy, mainly due to his ban for biting in the World Cup and his transfer to Barcelona.

The political agenda was dominated by the Scottish referendum on independence and the rise of Ukip, which occupy first and second respectively on the politics search list. 

Ukip leader Nigel Farage was the fourth most searched for political figure, with former Scotland first minister Alex Salmond third.

Mr Salmond's successor Nicola Sturgeon, and Russian president Vladimir Putin were also among the top 10.

However, perhaps the most surprising trend was in celebrity searches, where Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid, 44, (pictured) beat the likes of Kim Kardashian, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Miley Cyrus to top the list of celebrity searches

Luis Suarez (right) found himself on the receiving end of football fan's disgust and ridicule after he was accused of biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup match between Italy and Uruguay

Hilarious Suarez gif depicts the Uruguay striker as Jaws

Apple dominated the technology searches, making up half of the top 10 with the iPhone 6 at the top of the list, but the firm's new Apple Watch and iPad Air also making an appearance.

Sony's Playstation 4 games console was second on the list, with the Samsung Galaxy S5 in third.

In the war of the soaps EastEnders was triumphant over Coronation Street, grabbing third ahead of Corrie's sixth place. 

Big Brother topped the list ahead of fantasy drama Game Of Thrones. Strictly Come Dancing came ahead of the X Factor in fourth.

The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 seemed to captivate the internet as tantalising traces of debris were repeatedly found and then dismissed though the early part of 2014