NEWS

Motorists travelling through Ballyclare tonight are being urged to plan ahead, with a key road set to close for several hours as investigators carry out further testing linked to a fatal collision. Ballyeaston Road will be closed from 9.30pm tonight (Wednesday) until 1am on Thursday, 2 April, to facilitate scene testing as part of an ongoing investigation into a fatal collision which occurred in the area on Friday, 15 August, 2025. The closure will affect the stretch of road

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with DEA Officer Karen Brownlow for the launch of World Autism Acceptance Month. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is marking World Autism Acceptance Month this April by reaffirming its commitment to building a more inclusive and accessible community for autistic people and their families. In partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, the council says it will continue to expand support throug

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is pictured with Mark Graham, Chief Executive of Co-Ownership. More people and families across Northern Ireland could soon find it easier to step onto the property ladder after Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced an increase in the Co-Ownership property value limit. From 14 April 2026, the maximum value of a property that can be purchased through the Co-Ownership scheme will rise from £210,000 to £215,000, a move aimed at widening ac

Church Street in Ballymena Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has backed a motion calling for a town centre taskforce to be established across the borough. The motion was proposed by Coast Road DUP Councillor Andrew Clarke at a council meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, on Monday evening, and seconded by party colleague Larne Lough Cllr Gregg McKeen . Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Clarke said: “I feel passionate about our town centres and that we should be giving it everythi

Holiday plans across Northern Ireland face possible significant disruption this Easter weekend as the Met Office warns of a rapidly deepening low-pressure system bringing "very strong winds" to the region. The yellow weather warning, which covers all of Northern Ireland including Ballymena and surrounding areas, is set to take effect from 18:00 on Saturday, 4 April , lasting through until midday on Easter Sunday . Meteorologists are tracking an intense weather front moving no

(Photo Credit: Nathan Williams) Lifeguards will return to the sands of the North Coast this Good Friday, marking a significant double milestone for the RNLI as the charity enters a new season of coastal protection. From 3 April to 12 April , six of the region’s most popular beaches will be patrolled daily between 10am and 6pm . The seasonal rollout coincides with the 25th anniversary of the RNLI’s lifeguarding service across the UK, and a special 15-year anniversary for the s

Millions of the UK’s lowest-paid workers will see a boost in their pay packets from today, 1 April 2026, as the new statutory minimum wage rates officially pass into law. Following recommendations made by the Low Pay Commission (LPC) last autumn, the National Living Wage has increased to £12.71 per hour . The move is designed to provide a real-terms pay increase for the lowest earners while navigating a complex period of economic uncertainty. Balancing the Economy with Fair P

The Ulster Farmers’ Union has launched a strong challenge to proposals that would see firearms licensing fees in Northern Ireland rise by up to 153%, warning the move could place yet another financial strain on already pressured farm businesses. The proposed changes, put forward by the Department of Justice and now out for public consultation, would increase the cost of a firearm certificate from £98 to £250 , alongside significant rises across other licensing categories. For

Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department Emergency departments across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust remain under significant pressure, interim chief executive Suzanne Pullins told a board meeting last week. Ms Pullins said the Trust’s emergency departments “remain under pressure from the number of people coming through the system”. The Northern Trust has reported a 12 per cent increase in emergency department (ED) attendances by patients aged over 75 at Causeway

Local councillor Anna Henry proposed a motion this week calling for urgent action to tackle lengthy delays in diagnosis and treatment across Northern Ireland Thousands of women living with chronic pain and prolonged uncertainty have moved back into sharp focus after Mid and East Antrim Borough Council formally recognised the growing crisis in gynaecology services during Endometriosis Awareness Month. In a follow-up development to growing concern around women’s health waiting

Inset: North Antrim MP Jim Allister North Antrim MP Jim Allister has formally intervened in the planning process surrounding Ballymena’s proposed new Lidl store, writing directly to a planning officer at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to urge that the application be refused. In a strongly worded letter addressed to senior planning officer Kyle Patterson, Mr Allister said he was writing to “endorse the opposition of local residents” to the proposed St Patrick’s Link Road

Eight-year-old Daisy Doherty In a world that can often feel a little heavy, one young girl from Broughshane is bringing a powerful reminder of kindness, compassion and hope. Eight-year-old Daisy Doherty, a pupil at Broughshane Primary School , is preparing to take on a remarkable challenge this July as she donates her hair to help create a wig for a child who has lost theirs through illness. Inspired by the work of Little Princess Trust, the charity which provides real-hair w

Families across Northern Ireland are being urged to familiarise themselves with the signs and symptoms of meningitis as students return home for the Easter break. The Public Health Agency (PHA) has used the holiday period to remind parents, young people and students to check they are up to date with their MenACWY vaccination, while also raising awareness of the potentially life-threatening symptoms that require urgent medical attention. The warning comes after a recently repo

Blue household recycling bins replaced in Antrim could soon find a new home in Mid and East Antrim. Members of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Environment and Economy Committee were told at a meeting in March that a director would contact neighbouring Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to make enquiries about the potential reuse of the wheelie bins. A triple-stack wheelie box system was rolled out to 25,000 households across the Antrim, Randalstown, Crumlin, Temple

Pictured at the Child Development Centre at the Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ballymoney are back row, left – right, Steven Johnston, Stevie Lennon, Mark Morrow, Joe Gillan from the Robinson Memorial Trust Board, Ronnie Blair, Bamber McKay. Front row, left to right, Paddy Graffin, Kori Gault, James Archer and David Robinson, President of the Robinson Memorial Trust Board. Children and families attending Ballymoney’s Child Development Centre are now being welcomed into a signi

TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston The political fallout over Northern Ireland’s special educational needs summer schemes deepened today after TUV MLA Timothy Gaston launched a blistering attack in the Assembly, accusing ministers and officials of failing some of the most vulnerable children in society. In a strongly worded address, the North Antrim MLA said the decision to cancel the schemes — before a subsequent reversal — was “not simply an administrative mis-step” but

Pictured at Studio Ulster, L-R are: Dr Theresa Donaldson, Board Chair of Belfast Harbour; Professor Anthony Lilley, Chairman of Studio Ulster; The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Governor Dr Arnold Schwarzenegger; Professor Declan Keeney Co‑Founder & CEO, Studio Ulster; Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University; and Fiona Kane, Director of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Ulster University. Fresh from receiving an honorary d

General Practice must remain the bedrock of Northern Ireland’s new neighbourhood health and wellbeing model, doctors have warned, as the profession welcomed plans to bring more care closer to home. Responding to the Department of Health’s newly published framework, the Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland (RCGP NI) said any long-term transformation of care will only succeed if it is built on a stable, well-funded and properly supported GP service. The inter

Claire McNaughton, Accommodation Certification Manager at Tourism NI with Anne Christie, Owner of The Railway Sleeper, which has been certified by Tourism NI A historic railway building in Cullybackey that lay derelict for more than four decades has reached another major milestone after securing official certification from Tourism Northern Ireland. Set within the grounds of Cullybackey Railway Station, first opened in 1856, The Railway Sleeper stands as a remarkable example

“On the drive to Ballygally it was snowing and 0°C. In Ballygally thankfully the sun shone and we all had great fun. Like some others, I got wiped out with one large wave!” – Cllr Minford Mid and East Antrim’s Mayor has once again taken the plunge for charity, returning to the chilly waters of Ballygally Beach for a community sea swim that raised more than £350 for two vital causes. Councillor Jackson Minford braved the Irish Sea for the second time in support of his chosen