NEWS

A total of 260 new homes were completed across Mid and East Antrim during the financial year from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, according to a new council report. Presented to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee at The Braid in Ballymena on Thursday, the Housing Land Availability Report shows Ballymena accounted for 41 per cent of all new homes completed during the year, ahead of Carrickfergus (13 per cent) and Larne (almost 12 per cent). The report also

Preparations are continuing to get the premises in Ballymena town centre ready for the new coffee shop and amusement arcade. Planning permission has been approved by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for the change of use of a retail unit into a coffee shop and amusement arcade in Ballymena town centre. The proposal relates to a vacant retail premises at 41–43 Church Street, which planning documents say has stood empty for several years after accommodating a number of diffe

45-year-old Damien Paul Bintley A 45-year-old man from Holywood has died following a road traffic collision involving a car and a lorry in Co Tyrone. The collision happened on the Crossowen Road, Clogher, at approximately 12.40pm on Friday, 31 July. Police said the crash involved a white MG HS car and a Volvo lorry. Emergency services, including the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, attended the scene and medical treatment was provided to a number of people. The driver of t

16-year-old Connor Magee Campbell A 16-year-old boy has sadly died following a collision involving a scrambler motorcycle and a lorry in Co Tyrone. The teenager has been named by police as Connor Magee Campbell, from the Clonoe area. He was seriously injured in the collision on Derryloughan Road, Coalisland, on Thursday evening and later died in hospital. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is now appealing for witnesses and any video footage that could help investi

Overall Champion A ewe lamb from a County Antrim breeder’s flock claimed both the championship and the highest sale price at this year’s Northern Ireland Dorset Horn and Polled Dorset Sheep Breeders’ Club Premier Show and Sale in Ballymena. Held at Ballymena Livestock Mart on Monday, 27 July, the club’s 54th annual event saw Ellen McClure’s Mountdale flock continue a remarkable run of success, with her champion ewe lamb selling for 2,800gns after catching the eye of judge Joe

Nerell Browne and Emily Morgan A charity-funded support programme is helping the Northern Health and Social Care Trust retain more newly qualified nurses as they make the often-challenging transition into frontline healthcare roles. Funded through the Trust’s Charitable Trust Funds, the initiative has improved support for newly registered nurses working across Medicine and Emergency Medicine services, with the Trust reporting better retention rates and increased confidence am

Andrew Todd with the RNLI lifeguard team at Whiterocks Beach A father who was rescued alongside his two children after being caught in a powerful rip current at Whiterocks Beach, Portrush, has returned to thank the RNLI as the charity marks 25 years of its lifeguard service. The visit coincides with International Lifeguard Appreciation Day on Friday, 31 July, with the RNLI paying tribute to the lifeguards who patrol beaches across the UK and Ireland and highlighting the role

Lyra McKee, 29, was killed after being shot by terrorists on 18 April 2019 Detectives investigating the murder of journalist Lyra McKee have renewed their appeal for information more than seven years after she was shot dead during disorder in Derry/Londonderry, as an independent charity offers a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to those responsible being brought to justice. The renewed appeal is backed by the independent charity Crimestoppers, which is offering

David Kelly flew to his first ever ITRC win on the Circuit of Ireland. (PHOTO: D Harrigan Images) The countdown is on to one of Northern Ireland’s biggest motorsport weekends, with the 50th Modern Tyres Ulster Rally set to bring thousands of competitors, fans and visitors to Ballymena and across County Antrim on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August. The landmark anniversary event will feature many of the UK’s and Ireland’s leading rally drivers, iconic closed-road stages through no

Police Ombudsman figures released following internal review show that 26 serving PSNI officers and three former officers are now under investigation over allegations of abuse of position for sexual purposes (APSP). The updated figures were disclosed after the Police Ombudsman changed an earlier decision to withhold a breakdown of serving and former officers in response to a Freedom of Information request. The information was released just one day before the Police Ombudsman a

Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died The family of a young County Down man who died in a motorcycle crash a decade ago have issued a heartfelt appeal to all road users, urging them to remember that “every person deserves to get home safely.” Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died on 31 July 2016 after the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a single-vehicle collision on Belfast Road in Newtownards. No other vehicle was involved. Marking the 10th anniversary of his death, J

Northern Ireland’s skiers and snowboarders can now book their Winter 2027/28 flights to the Austrian Alps after Jet2.com launched its latest ski programme from Belfast International Airport. The airline has put its weekly Saturday service to Salzburg on sale, giving travellers the opportunity to secure flights more than a year in advance for the 2027/28 ski season. Weekly flights to Austria Jet2.com said the service will operate from mid-December 2027 and continue throughout

Northern Ireland dentists working in General Dental Services (GDS) saw their average taxable income rise by almost 14% during 2024/25, according to newly published official figures. The latest estimates show the average taxable income for self-employed NHS dentists increased from £77,000 in 2023/24 to £87,600 in 2024/25 — a statistically significant increase of 13.7%. The figures, published by NHS England, provide an insight into the earnings and business costs of self-employ

Thomas Haighton, manager of Hawthorns Adult Centre in Carrickfergus, pictured with service users Julia, Lauren and Roy who between them have accumulated almost 150 years of attendance at the centre. Five decades of friendship, opportunity and inclusion were celebrated this week as Hawthorns Adult Centre in Carrickfergus marked its 50th anniversary with service users, families and staff reflecting on a remarkable journey. The centre, which first opened in July 1976, has suppor

CGI showing elevations of approved plans to create 19 town centre apartments at a historic former bank building in Ballymena. Planning permission has been granted to transform a historic former bank building in Ballymena town centre into 19 apartments. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee approved the application at a meeting in The Braid on Thursday morning. The proposal will see the partial demolition of the building at 97 Mill Street, alongside its ada

A new once-daily tablet that could improve the lives of people living with a serious inherited heart condition is being considered for use in Northern Ireland after receiving approval for NHS patients in England. Aficamten, marketed as MYQORZO, has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and simultaneously recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic c

Grove Road, Ballymena Drivers in Ballymena are being warned to expect up to eight weeks of disruption as a £627,000 resurfacing scheme gets under way on Grove Road next month. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has confirmed that resurfacing work on the C109 Grove Roadwill begin on Monday 10 August, with the project expected to continue until Wednesday 7 October, subject to weather conditions. What road is affected? The £627,000 investment will see 2.17 kilometres of Gro

A motorcyclist has been taken to hospital after a single-vehicle collision on the Coast Road in Glenarm on Wednesday night. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 9.55pm following reports of the crash in the Glenarm area. Police said the rider, a man, was injured in the collision and was taken to hospital for treatment. His condition has not been disclosed. Appeal for witnesses Officers are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have c

One of London’s famous red Routemaster buses undergoing extensive refurbishment by Ballymena headquartered Wrightbus London’s famous red Routemaster buses are being given a new lease of life through a major refurbishment programme led by Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus. The latest bus to complete the programme has returned to passenger service after a comprehensive overhaul, with dozens more set to follow over the coming year as part of a project designed to extend

Barry Cummins and Katja Mia present the new RTÉ podcast series, ‘Unsolved’. (Photo: Marc O'Sullivan) A new RTÉ true crime podcast examining some of Ireland’s most enduring unsolved criminal cases has launched today, aiming to keep long-running investigations in the public eye while giving victims and their families a renewed voice. Unsolved, released every Wednesday, explores unsolved murders and other unresolved crimes from across Ireland, with experienced crime journalist B