NEWS

Caitlin Green, aged 24 Police have confirmed that the body of a woman has been located in the Princes Street area of Lurgan. In a statement issued on Saturday afternoon, police said the discovery was made on Saturday, 7 February. Whilst formal identification has not yet taken place, the family of Caitlin Green, who has been missing since Saturday afternoon, 31 January, has been informed. Caitlin, aged 24, had last been seen leaving a friend’s home in the Derry Street and Lord

Two Ballymena schools have secured funding for new synthetic sports pitches following successful applications to the Department of Education, a move welcomed by North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew as a significant boost to sports provision in local schools. Cambridge House Grammar School and Slemish College have both been approved for new facilities under Department of Education capital programmes, aimed at strengthening physical education, sport and wider wellbeing as part of t

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has launched a £7.85 million Winter Recovery Road Fund to address widespread damage caused by recent severe weather, following a sharp rise in potholes and surface defects across the road network. The announcement comes in addition to 40 resurfacing schemes already programmed after the Minister’s December Monitoring allocation, and is intended to provide an urgent response to the impact of storms, prolonged rainfall, ice and snow. £7.85m f

A Northern Ireland council has been urged to recoup ratepayers’ money after stepping in to support a struggling bin collection service. An environment committee report presented this week revealed that Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) staff and vehicles assisted Bryson Recycling with collections at around 20,000 properties for approximately a week in January. According to the report, the council’s intervention has now enabled Bryson Recycling to return to “busines

Millhouse Dale, Antrim The proposed change of use of a four-bedroom apartment to a house in multiple occupation (HMO) at 33 Millhouse Dale, Antrim, was approved by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee at a recent meeting. Planning officer Ashleigh Wilson told the committee that 30 objections had been received, raising issues including insufficient parking and traffic concerns, potential noise and disturbance, negative impacts on the character of the ar

Artist’s impression of the new building for Mary Queen of Peace Primary School in Glenravel, County Antrim. Confirmation that a contractor has been appointed to deliver the new £7.28 million school building for Mary Queen of Peace Primary School in Glenravel has been welcomed as a major milestone for the local community. The rural primary school in the Glens of Antrim has faced a lengthy journey to reach this stage, with the announcement bringing renewed optimism for pupils,

Detectives are investigating an attempted theft of an ATM machine from the Royal Victoria Children’s Hospital in Belfast during the early hours of Saturday morning. The incident has prompted a public appeal as police seek to identify those responsible. Early-Morning Incident at Children’s Hospital Police were alerted after reports that at around 3.15am on Saturday 7 February, two men entered the Royal Victoria Children’s Hospital posing as workmen. The suspects are believed t

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA hails a new chapter for Unionism in Northern Ireland, pictured with deputy leader Diana Armstrong MLA during the recent Party leadership ratification At a time when questions continue to be raised about whether current funding levels are sufficient to meet Northern Ireland’s growing political, economic and social challenges, Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA has said that resources alone will not secure the future of th

Principal Alastair Beacom, Dunclug Primary School in Ballymena, honoured at Westminster this week for their work in international education - receiving a British Council International School Award, from Colm McGivern, Director of the British Council Northern Ireland At a time when schools across Northern Ireland continue to face mounting financial pressures and concerns that funding is not sufficient to meet the scale of educational challenges, a Ballymena primary school has

Broughshane retail legend, James McNeill At a time when independent retailers across Northern Ireland are under intense pressure — facing rising operating costs, staffing challenges and competition from national chains — one family-run business in Co Antrim is marking a milestone that speaks to resilience, community and quiet determination. This weekend, Broughshane shopkeeper James McNeill will celebrate an extraordinary 70 years in business, a rare achievement in modern re

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew Paul Frew MLA has welcomed assurances from Education Minister Paul Givan that changes are planned to end the disadvantage currently faced by working families in the allocation of funded pre-school places, while warning that existing funding and capacity levels are still falling short of what families need. The North Antrim DUP representative said parents across his constituency continue to experience real difficulty securing funded pre-school

Professor Mark Taylor, Regional Clinical Director for Elective Care, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, Lynn Tennant, Interim Assistant Director Surgical and Clinical Services, Lynne McCartney, Interim Director of Surgery and Clinical Services, and George Gardiner, Executive Director of Medicine. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has praised Causeway Hospital for the “encouraging” progress being made to modernise services and improve how patient care is delivered, following a visit to

The winning Seven Towers Senior 1 netball team with coach, Lauren Walsh Seven Towers Senior 1 netball team have secured promotion to the Netball Northern Ireland Senior 2 League after a dramatic extra-time victory in a high-pressure play-off against Westside 2 on Wednesday evening. Proudly sponsored by Howdens Kitchens, Seven Towers were taken to the limit in a fiercely contested match, with the sides level at full time. With promotion on the line, the Senior 1 squad showed c

Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has warned that ending academic selection in Northern Ireland would undermine parental choice and distract from the real pressures facing schools, during a debate in the Assembly on Tuesday (3 January). Mr Burrows was speaking during consideration of a private members’ motion tabled by Sinn Féin South Down MLA Cathy Mason , which calls for a time-bound plan to end academic selection and transfer tests as part of p

The cost of a UK TV licence will increase to £180 a year from 1 April 2026, the Government has confirmed, in line with inflation and the terms of the existing BBC funding settlement. The £5.50 rise – equivalent to an extra 46p a month – follows the methodology set out in the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement, which links annual increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) until the end of the current BBC Charter period in 2027. Ministers said the increase is intended to provide the

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is pictured in his office signing the Northern Ireland Football Fund Letter of Offers. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced the first funding offers under the Northern Ireland Football Fund (NIFF), bringing a welcome boost to football clubs across Northern Ireland. Among the 20 clubs progressing through the Performance Programme, Ballymena United, Larne FC , and Carrick Rangers are set to receive crucial support to refine their b

William Sayers A powerful first-hand account of the dangers faced on Northern Ireland’s farms will be shared in Ballyeaston tomorrow night, as William Sayers addresses a Farm Health and Safety talk hosted by the Ballyeaston Vintage Tractor Club. The free event takes place on Friday 6 February at 7.30pm, at 19 Trenchill Road, Ballyeaston, BT39 9SJ , with tea and refreshments served and everyone welcome. Organisers say the evening is aimed at farmers, families and the wider r

Monira Zahan (Delta Air Lines), Natalie, Fiona Oseibaffour (Delta Air Lines) A young woman from Ballyclare has been recognised for her resilience and determination after winning a prestigious award at the Northern Ireland final of The King’s Trust and TK Maxx Awards, held at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Natalie, 22, scooped the Delta Air Lines Breakthrough Award at the ceremony on Friday 30 January, an accolade which recognises a young person who has overcome personal bar

Emergency departments across Northern Ireland are under sustained pressure, with rising demand, sicker patients and long waits continuing to challenge the health service, new figures release today (Thursday 5 February 2026) from the Department of Health (DoH) show. The latest bulletin covers all new and unplanned attendances at emergency care departments (EDs) during October, November and December 2025. It provides a detailed picture of how long patients are waiting, how many

(L-R) Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Jon Burrows and fellow North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston (TUV) Jon Burrows MLA has raised serious concerns in the Northern Ireland Assembly over the proportionality of a sanction recommended against his North Antrim colleague, Timothy Gaston MLA , warning that the response risks undermining fairness, free expression and public confidence in political accountability. Speaking during an Assembly debate this week, Mr Burrows questioned whether