NEWS

A previous Wee Joan’s Charity Dog Walk makes its way along Portrush’s West Strand. The popular event returns this Sunday, raising funds for Willie’s Orphan Fund, Children to Lapland and Children’s Kidney Fund NI. A previous Wee Joan’s Charity Dog Walk makes its way along Portrush’s West Strand. The popular event returns this Sunday, raising funds for Willie’s Orphan Fund, Children to Lapland and Children’s Kidney Hundreds of paws are expected to hit the sand in Portrush this

Baby Saoirse with proud parents Emma Walsh and Adam Martin Baby Saoirse has become the first baby born in Antrim Area Hospital’s new £5.7 million Midwifery-Led Unit, which gives women with straightforward pregnancies another choice over how they give birth. Parents Emma Walsh and Adam Martin welcomed their daughter safely on Friday 11 September, marking the first birth in the purpose-built facility. For Emma, the experience was everything she had hoped for: “The whole experie

A man in his 30s was taken to hospital after being beaten with a metal bar and punched in the head during an aggravated burglary in Larne. Detectives are appealing for witnesses and footage following the attack, which was reported in the Carson Street area at around 11.20pm on Sunday, 13 September. Two masked men enter property Police said two masked men, both dressed in black with their faces covered, entered the property through the front door. Detective Sergeant Crothers s

Andrew, Ballymena Rural Warden; a resident of Cullybackey Fold and Paul, PSNI Crime Prevention Officer educate senior citizens on scams. Senior citizens across Mid and East Antrim are being given practical advice to help them recognise scams and protect themselves from fraud. Community Safety Wardens are distributing copies of The Little Book of Big Scams, which explains some of the most common types of fraud, the warning signs people should watch for and steps they can take

Inset: North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew Home care workers across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust are set to have average overtime earnings included when their holiday pay is calculated, with retrospective payments also expected to be made before the end of the year. North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed the commitment after raising concerns with the Northern Trust on behalf of constituents who said they were losing out because of the way their holiday pay was calcul

Galgorm Collection has announced its support for local tennis ace, Emma Mezei. Pictured with Emma is Georgie Briota, Business Development Manager at Galgorm Collection. Ten-year-old Ballymena tennis player Emma Mezei has secured a three-year partnership with Galgorm Collection after becoming the first member of Ballymena Lawn Tennis Club in more than 40 years to reach an All-Ireland junior final. Emma recently finished runner-up in the William Fry All Ireland Under 10 Junior

Police are appealing for witnesses after a suspected petrol bomb attack caused extensive damage to a car in Antrim late on Sunday night. Shortly before midnight on Sunday, 13 September, police received a report of an attack on a vehicle in the Barra Street area of the town. Officers attended alongside crews from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, who extinguished the blaze. Suspect fled towards Durnish Road Police believe the suspect was dressed entirely in dark cl

Crime fiction has taken the top spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, with Ann Cleeves’ The Killing Stones leading a varied bestseller chart featuring thrillers, historical fiction, romance, fantasy and non-fiction. Lyse Doucet’s The Finest Hotel in Kabul takes second place, while Robert Harris’ Agrippa completes the top three. Elsewhere, readers are picking up titles from Lee Child, Virginia Evans, William Boyd, Pierce Brown and Richard Osman. There is also plenty arrivi

Asda Community and Customer Champion Ashley with ladies from the Antrim Community Support Hub Women from Antrim Community Support Hub have helped raise £116 for breast cancer charities during a special afternoon tea at Asda Antrim. The gathering brought members of the local group together for an afternoon of conversation, refreshments and fundraising as Asda marks 30 years of its Tickled Pink campaign. Friendship and fundraising Tickled Pink raises money to support the breast

Inshore Lifeboat Terry. (Image: Jason Bain, RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, Larne) Two people have been brought safely ashore after their fishing boat suffered a mechanical failure in Larne Harbour on Sunday morning. RNLI volunteers launch to help stricken boat Larne RNLI’s volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat Terry shortly before midday after HM Coastguard received a report from one of the crew members that their vessel had broken down. The lifeboat was requested to lau

Photos from 2025 Fashion Show, featuring local models and professional models from ACA Modelling Agency. ACA will be partnering with organisers again for this year’s show. Ballymena’s Autumn/Winter Fashion Show is returning for a fourth year next month, promising a night of new-season style, live music and entertainment following a sell-out event in 2025. The popular annual event will take over The Braid on Friday 9 October, bringing independent boutiques and high street reta

Land-based Engineering students Emily Scott (Garvagh) and Oliver John (Ballycastle) invite you to attend Greenmount Campus Open Day. Young people considering a future in agriculture, agri-food or land-based engineering will have the chance to explore courses, career opportunities and campus life at a special Open Day at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus next month. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) will welcome prospective students to its Antrim campus on

Almost 900 complaints were made to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust during a nine-month period, as new figures reveal a sharp rise in complaints across Northern Ireland’s health service. The Northern Trust recorded 896 complaints between April and December 2025 — 17% of the 5,222 received by all six Health and Social Care Trusts, including the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. Across Northern Ireland, the total was up by 1,208 — or 30% — from 4,014 during the same

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Tom Gordon The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Tom Gordon, has led tributes to four respected figures with connections to communities across the borough who died recently. Speaking at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council at The Braid in Ballymena earlier this week, the mayor paid tribute to Janetta Scott, Joe Carmichael, Liam Kelly and award-winning Ballymena journalist and author Stephen Walker. Ald Gordon offered con

Redbay RNLI launched after a 46ft yacht became trapped off Cushendall, on the Antrim coast. Six people have been brought to safety after Red Bay RNLI volunteers spent seven hours at sea in gale-force conditions when a 46ft yacht became trapped at a fish farm off Cushendall. The overnight Mayday operation began in the early hours of Saturday morning after the yacht, which was travelling from Oban in Scotland to Portugal, lost all power and steering after making contact with th

Jailed: 48-year-old Alan Potter A 48-year-old Antrim businessman who sexually abused young female employees over a period spanning more than two decades has been jailed for four years. Alan Potter, from Antrim, was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Friday (11 September) for 13 non-recent sexual offences, including gross indecency, sexual assault, sexual communication with a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. Potter owned a local takeaway food business an

Fewer than one in three cancer patients in Northern Ireland began treatment within the recommended 62 days following an urgent GP referral in the first three months of 2026, newly corrected figures have revealed. The revised Department of Health data shows just 29.6% of patients started their first definitive cancer treatment within 62 days between January and March — against the official target of at least 95%. Macmillan Cancer Support described the figures as a “worrying pi

CGI showing an impression of the new building Planning permission has been granted for the proposed partial redevelopment of St Louis Grammar School on Cullybackey Road, Ballymena. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee approved proposals including a new school meals block, improved outdoor areas and a reconfiguration of the front of the site aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing congestion on Cullybackey Road. New school meals block and play area The

Ballymena Town Hall, and (inset) Braid Councillor Alan Barr Mid and East Antrim councillors have backed a call for a dedicated Stormont funding programme to help community groups tackle weeds, litter and neglected public spaces across the borough. The proposal would provide financial support for community organisations and social enterprises carrying out environmental improvements, although several councillors cautioned that any new scheme must not allow councils or other sta

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with a series of offences after a police officer was engulfed in flames and suffered burns to his face during a petrol bomb attack in Carrickfergus. The teenager is due to appear before Belfast Youth Court next month in connection with disorder in the Albert Road area of the town on Tuesday 9 June. A second officer had their hair singed and experienced breathing difficulties after flames also engulfed a police vehicle during the same attack.