NEWS

BBC announces the cast for the return of Balamory, featuring some familiar faces and some new! Images: Lion Television Scotland/BBC After more than two decades off screen, one of the BBC’s most beloved children’s programmes is set to return this month, as Balamory makes its long-awaited comeback on BBC’s CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. The brand-new series will launch on Monday 20 April at 5pm, with all episodes also becoming available on BBC iPlayer the same day, marking the first

Children in Northern Ireland are still afforded less legal protection from physical harm than adults because parents and carers can continue to rely on the defence of “reasonable punishment” , the NSPCC has warned, as pressure mounts for Stormont to amend the law through the Justice Bill. The children’s charity is urging all political parties to back an amendment currently tabled at the Northern Ireland Assembly which would remove what it describes as an outdated legal defenc

Millions of workers across Northern Ireland and the wider UK can now access sick pay from the first day they are off work, as a major overhaul of employment rights came into force on Sunday. The changes, introduced under the Employment Rights Act, mark one of the most significant shifts in workplace protections in recent years, affecting more than 18 million employees across the UK. From 6 April 2026, workers who fall ill no longer have to wait until the fourth day of absence

Three people have been arrested after a viable device was discovered in Glenarm, prompting a major police response and a controlled explosion on Monday morning. The security alert unfolded in the Feystown Road area shortly after 10am on Monday 6 April, when police received a report of a suspicious device. Specialist officers, including Ammunition Technical Officers, were deployed to the scene where the item was examined and later destroyed in a controlled explosion. Police ha

Ballymena shoppers are set to get a major new retail addition next week as The Food Warehouse opens its doors at Braidwater Retail Park on Tuesday 14 April, bringing an expanded range of grocery and household products, a jobs boost for the area, and a series of opening-day giveaways. The new large-format store, part of Iceland Foods, is expected to create 23 additional jobs for the local community and marks a significant expansion of the retailer’s presence in the town, wher

A former nurse who was living in Cullybackey at the time of the offence has been struck off by the profession’s regulator after a criminal conviction over indecent online messages referring to sexual activity with children. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has removed 56-year-old David Kenneth Paul McKeown from the register following a Fitness to Practise Committee hearing held on 17 March 2026. The regulator imposed a striking-off order, alongside an interim suspensio

Pregnant women are being urged to stay away from lambing sheds, calving pens and all animals giving birth as the busy spring farming season gets under way, with the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland warning that even limited exposure can pose serious risks to both mother and unborn baby. The urgent warning comes as farms across Northern Ireland enter one of the most demanding periods of the year, with lambing and calving now in full swing. While the number of p

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has received plans for a new 154-caravan extension at Skerries Holiday Park in Portrush. The council’s planning department has recently received an application for 154 new static caravan pitches, along with associated amenity space, parking, and landscaping, on lands at and to the south-west of the existing park at 126 Dunluce Road. According to an accompanying Design and Access Statement , the site includes the access and front portio

A railway bridge in Ballymena where concerns were raised over alleged drug and alcohol use Mid and East Antrim community groups have been urged to take part in a “walk and talk” with the PSNI in a bid to help reduce crime in their local areas. Speaking at a recent online meeting of Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) , Chief Inspector Siobhan Watt outlined an initiative that has already been rolled out in the borough as part of the PSNI’s Pro

Sickness absence among Mid and East Antrim Borough Council staff has “increased significantly” since the Covid pandemic, councillors have been told. A report presented to the council’s Corporate Resources, Policy and Governance Committee at a recent meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, indicated that 17.8 days were lost per full-time employee during the 2024/25 financial year, above the council’s target of 15 days. During 2022/23, absence levels peaked at 17.9 days per full-time

Cloughmills Early Years, County Antrim Nine families in Cloughmills have been left without a place at the village’s only nursery setting, triggering growing anger among parents, staff and elected representatives who say children are being forced out of their own community despite space being available locally. The dispute centres on Cloughmills Early Years, the only local nursery provision serving the village outside Ballymena, where demand for places has outstripped the numb

The poster placed at two roadside junctions in Ballycastle, and inset, TUV MP Jim Allister and Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan Political placards which had become the focus of local concern in Ballycastle have been removed following intervention by the Department for Infrastructure, prompting a fresh political row over standards for public displays in the town. The signs, located at the junction of Mary Street and Cushendall Road, were taken down after North Antrim MP Jim Allis

Evelyn Harris from Ballymena achieved six Distinctions in her VetSkill VTEC Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal) course which she studied at CAFRE. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has celebrated the achievements of its latest veterinary care and veterinary nursing graduates, with Ballymena among the towns represented by top-performing learners recognised at a major awards ceremony in Antrim. Held at Greenmount Campus on Friday

Maire Claire Reid, Managing Director of TST Group, Ballymena Maire Claire Reid, Managing Director of TST Group , has been shortlisted for the prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Ireland 2026 programme, placing her among a select group of business leaders recognised for exceptional growth, innovation and leadership across the island of Ireland. The announcement marks a significant milestone for Reid and the international logistics business she co-founded with her family,

The number of babies born in Northern Ireland continued its long-running downward trend through 2025, while newly published provisional figures also point to rising three-year averages for suicide and drug-related deaths. The latest Registrar General Quarterly Report, published on Monday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), provides a detailed snapshot of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships recorded between 1 October and 31 December 202

Visitors travelling to the North Coast for the Easter holiday weekend are being met with an increased police presence, as the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed officers are out on patrol across the district today. With large numbers expected to travel to Portrush and surrounding coastal areas, police have issued a clear public safety message focused on responsible behaviour, road safety and respect for shared public spaces. In a statement issued today, officers sai

Garden enthusiasts from across the borough and beyond are being invited to Antrim Castle Gardens this month for a free spring event featuring thousands of plants, specialist growers and expert advice, as Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council launches the countdown to one of Northern Ireland’s best-known home and garden showcases. The Spring Plant Fair will take place on Saturday 11 April 2026, running from 10am to 5pm in the picturesque Parterre Gardens at Antrim Castle Gar

(L-R) Steven Kane, Senior Quality & Standards Advisor at Tourism NI pictured with Emma and Pete Hathaway, owners of Peatlands. A luxury countryside retreat near Ballymoney has received a major tourism boost after being awarded four stars by Tourism Northern Ireland’s Quality Grading Scheme, recognising the high standards, comfort and distinctive experience it offers visitors to the North Coast area. Peatlands, a secluded family-run accommodation business set within three acre

JF Travel, Ballymena Award-winning travel agency JF Travel is celebrating its first anniversary in Ballymena, marking a significant milestone for the growing independent business as it continues to expand its presence across Northern Ireland. The anniversary marks another step forward in the company’s steady growth journey, from a small office launch nearly a decade ago to a multi-branch business now serving customers across the region. A growing local success story Led by di

How the new proposed buildings will look on North Street, Carrickfergus Planning permission has been granted by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for the construction of new apartments in Carrickfergus town centre on the site of a former pub. The approved proposal will see The Northgate bar and restaurant, at 59–63 North Street, demolished and replaced with an apartment block comprising 17 social housing units. The development includes four one-bedroom general-needs apartme