NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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.

DfI contractors on site refreshing the road markings outside Ballymena Primary School on the busy Ballymoney Road North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed action to improve road safety outside Ballymena Primary School after he raised concerns with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) on behalf of the school. Fresh yellow zig-zag markings have now been installed after the school’s principal highlighted faded road markings and malfunctioning flashing school safety signs. Whil

An alleyway in Killane Park, Ahoghill where residents have raised concerns over weeds and moss across the estate TUV Alderman Stewart McDonald has called for action over the condition of footpaths and alleyways at Killane Park in Ahoghill after residents raised concerns about overgrown weeds, vegetation and moss. The local representative said he was contacted by residents unhappy with the condition of the area and subsequently raised their concerns with North Antrim MP Jim Al

Waveney Road and Clonavon Terrace in Ballymena Residents across Harryville and Clonavon are being encouraged to put their homes forward for a new competition celebrating the everyday efforts helping to improve both neighbourhoods. The Harryville and Clonavon Best Kept Property Competition offers cash prizes of up to £100, with judging due to take place from Monday 14 to Friday 18 September 2026. Small efforts can make a difference Organisers have stressed that entrants do not

Inset: North Antrim MP Jim Allister Ballymena GP practices face a wait until at least 2029 for the rollout of Multi-Disciplinary Teams designed to ease pressure on doctors and give patients greater access to physiotherapy, mental health and social work support. North Antrim MP Jim Allister has called for the timetable to be reconsidered after being contacted by local GPs concerned that Ballymena remains without the additional primary care support. Mr Allister subsequently rai

Northern Ireland’s lowest-earning households are being left with an average of just £53.17 a week after taxes and basic household spending, new research has revealed. The latest Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker from the Consumer Council shows some improvement in household finances at the beginning of 2026 — but spending power remains dramatically below where it was five years ago. For the lowest-income quarter of households, discretionary income has fallen by 35

Tesco has been urged to include Northern Ireland customers in future fuel promotions after shoppers here were excluded from a 5% offer available across Great Britain. Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has written directly to Tesco’s Chief Executive over the issue, arguing that customers in Northern Ireland should not be left at a disadvantage when major UK retailers launch promotions. The intervention follows an earlier complaint which resulted in

Jailed: Ballymena man Bradley Douglas A Ballymena man identified by police as one of the “main instigators” of rioting in the town last summer has been sentenced to five years, with half of the term to be spent in custody. Bradley Douglas, 28, was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court today, Wednesday 9 September, after being convicted of riot and burglary with intent to cause unlawful damage. He was given a five-year sentence, comprising 30 months in custody and 30 months on licen

A typical Share Energy customer will face an extra £129 a year in electricity costs after the supplier confirmed a 12.6% increase in its standard 24-hour tariff from 1 October 2026. The estimated annual increase applies to both credit and prepayment customers. The Consumer Council described the rise as “very unwelcome news” for around 41,000 Share Energy consumers. Customers struggling to pay their bills or top up their meters are being urged to contact their supplier for hel

David pictured with his Dad, who he is his named after. David Clarke was just 21 when he began to understand that the father who had spent his life looking after him was slowly going to need his son to do the same for him. Almost 14 years later, dementia has taken conversations, memories and many of the ordinary moments they once shared — but it has never taken the bond between them. “Memories may fade but love remains,” David says. Now, after years in which the experience fe