NEWS

A man has been charged with multiple offences following a disturbing incident in Portglenone in which a woman was reportedly assaulted and forced into a vehicle on a busy village street. Detectives investigating the incident in the Main Street area of Portglenone on Saturday evening, 14 March, confirmed that a 42-year-old man has now been charged to court. The development follows an earlier report from a member of the public that a male assaulted a female at around 10pm, alle

From gripping crime novels to children’s favourites and bestselling thrillers, Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books alongside exciting new arrivals, children’s storytime and upcoming book club meetings. The weekly round-up from the Ballymena bookshop highlights the titles currently flying off the shelves, as well as the newest releases readers should keep an eye out for. This Week’s Top 10 Bestselling Books Leading the chart this week is And

Detectives are appealing for witnesses after a woman was reportedly assaulted and forced into a vehicle in a disturbing incident in Portglenone on Saturday night. Police say the incident happened on Main Street at around 10pm on Saturday, 14 March, when a member of the public reported seeing a male assault a female. According to officers, the woman was punched to the head and face before being forced into a black Nissan Qashqai. A 42-year-old man has since been arrested on su

A powerful night of remembrance, music and community spirit in Ballymena has raised more than £20,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, with a special fundraising event held in memory of two young women whose lives were tragically cut short. The Bingo Music Bonanza, hosted at the Tullyglass Hotel, brought together hundreds of supporters for an emotional evening dedicated to Naomi Lynn and Lydia Ross , who both died in separate car accidents. Organised by Ritchie Entertainme

The Top of the Crop choir will be guided by local music teacher and experienced musician Philip Kerr, with practice sessions planned for Thursday 26 March and Thursday 30 April from 8pm-9.30pm in Cullybackey Business Centre, Main Street, Cullybackey. A brand-new community choir is set to bring voices together in Cullybackey, offering rural residents a welcoming space to sing, socialise and build friendships. The new ‘Top of the Crop’ choir is the latest initiative from the No

(L-R) Christian Reynolds, Managing Director of Wrightbus; Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; John McLeister, Wrightbus Sales Managing Director for UK and Ireland Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed a new order for 55 electric buses from Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, reinforcing confidence in UK manufacturing and strengthening the region’s growing zero-emission transport network. The announcement came during a visit to the company’s headquarters and

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with Darren Tweed, wife Amber, and son Jack at Mayoral reception to recognise Darren's extraordinary commitment to fundraising. A Ballymena man whose personal journey has inspired extraordinary fundraising efforts has been formally recognised by the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim after completing a remarkable 100km charity run. Darren Tweed was honoured at a special reception hosted by Mayor of Mid and East Antri

Shoppers in Belfast will now find a splash of pink – and plenty of cake – waiting for them at CastleCourt after popular bakery brand Dougies Goodies officially opened a new pop-up store in the shopping centre today (13 March 2026). Located in the busy CastleCourt food court, the vibrant new space offers customers a chance to grab the bakery’s much-loved cakes, bakes and sweet treats while taking a break from browsing the shops. The pop-up is stocked with a range of Dougies Go

Angela, John and Jim, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with (L-R) Angela Mulholland, West Bann Development, Jim McIlroy, Harryville Men’s Shed and John Hunter, Community Sports Network, Shankill at a!ln event in Ballymena. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has praised the “anything but small” impact of community investment across Northern Ireland during a visit to Ballymena, where local organisations shared how government funding is helping transform services, creat

Police have arrested 36 people during a coordinated 12-hour operation targeting suspects linked to domestic abuse, serious assault and a range of other offences across several districts in Northern Ireland. The large-scale operation, carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on Thursday, 12 March, focused on the areas of Lisburn and Castlereagh, Ards and North Down, Causeway Coast and Glens, Mid and East Antrim, and Antrim and Newtownabbey. Officers targete

Aaron Carey, Preservoir; Peter Gilleece, Vikela; Gabi Burnside; Entrepreneur Acceleration Manager, Ulster Bank; Sarah McKegney, Percy & Pop and Cormac Venney, HIP Psychology. A Loughguile entrepreneur is within touching distance of a £50,000 investment after securing a place in the final of the Ulster Bank Accelerator Pitch 2026. Aaron Carey, founder of fintech cash-management platform Preservoir , impressed judges at a highly competitive semi-final this week, earning a covet

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Julia Cleeland, Operations Director, Mid & East Antrim Community Advice Service, and Paul Frew MLA at a recent visit to Mid & East Antrim Community Advice Service. A major programme designed to help people access debt advice earlier and more easily will continue into the next financial year after strong early results across Northern Ireland. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed that the Integrated Advice Partnership F

North Antrim Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland Families across North Antrim could face deeper hardship if welfare spending is reduced to boost defence funding, according to Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland. The party’s poverty spokesperson said calls from senior DUP figures to divert money away from welfare budgets were “catastrophically out of touch” with the pressures facing households during the ongoing energy crisis. Her comments follow remarks from DUP leaders Arlene Foster and

Motorists and commuters across Northern Ireland are being urged to prepare for difficult travel conditions on Thursday morning as strong winds and heavy rain sweep across the region. A yellow weather warning has been issued covering the period from 6:00am to 12:00pm on Thursday, 12 March 2026 , with forecasters warning that gusty winds combined with heavy rain could disrupt morning journeys. Gusts of up to 60mph possible Southwesterly winds are expected to strengthen during t

Inset: North Antrim MLA Paul Frew Concerns raised by new mothers in the Ballymena area about postnatal care arrangements have prompted intervention from North Antrim MLA Paul Frew , who sought urgent clarification from health officials after reports that women were being asked to attend clinic appointments just days after giving birth. Mr Frew said he had been contacted by constituents worried about a move towards centralised postnatal appointments within the Northern Health

North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston has warned that proposed changes to special educational needs (SEN) support could place classroom assistant jobs at risk and increase pressure inside classrooms. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Gaston paid tribute to the “vital role classroom assistants play” in supporting pupils but said staff and families are increasingly worried about how the proposed reforms may work in practice. The Tr

Ballymena Police Station (Pic: Love Ballymena) Detectives in Ballymena are investigating after a house in the Glenhugh Park area of Ahoghill was broken into on Tuesday evening. Police say entry was forced through the rear patio doors of the unoccupied property sometime between 5pm and 9pm. A search was carried out throughout the house, but it remains unclear if any items were taken. Officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area, or who may ha

CGI image of the proposed new Lidl store at St Patrick’s Link Road / Broughshane Road, Ballymena Why would a global supermarket chain choose a specific piece of land in Ballymena for what could become one of its largest stores in Northern Ireland? Planning documents submitted for the proposed Lidl development at St Patrick’s Link Road provide a detailed answer — pointing to soaring local demand, strategic transport links and a wider £500 million expansion across Northern Irel

Managing director William John O’Donnell at WJ O’Donnell & Sons, and Elaine Brannigan from Cruse Bereavement Support Northern Ireland A special Christmas remembrance evening in Ballymena has raised £2,510 for Cruse Bereavement Support Northern Ireland, thanks to the generosity of local residents and businesses. The “True Meaning of Christmas – Special Community Gathering Night”, hosted by WJ O’Donnell & Sons Funeral Directors, took place on Sunday 7th December at the family-r

Percy Pig celebrates M&S Food Outlet launching at Applegreen Ballymena Shoppers in Ballymena can now pick up their favourite Marks & Spencer treats on the go after a new M&S Food outlet opened today at the town’s Applegreen site. The new store introduces the popular “shop within a shop” concept to Ballymena, bringing more than 400 M&S Food products to the location and marking the fourth partnership site between M&S and Applegreen in Northern Ireland. From fresh fruit and sala