NEWS

Ballymena Showgrounds Mid and East Antrim Borough Council planners are considering a planning application for a new 3G football pitch and spectator stand at Ballymena Showgrounds. The application has been submitted by an agent on behalf of the council for proposed works at the home of Ballymena United Football Club. The proposal includes the installation of a full-size 3G pitch to replace the existing grass pitch, along with a new 200-seat spectator stand and floodlighting. A

Bin delays affecting four Northern Ireland council areas have been caused by “unprecedented illness” levels, according to Bryson Recycling — the company responsible for kerbside collections. Around 160,000 households are potentially affected by ongoing recycling collection issues across Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Belfast City Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council areas. The issue was raised at a Lisburn and Castl

24-year-old Jamie Mitchell The Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed the identity of the man who died following a road traffic collision in Coleraine during the early hours of this morning, Saturday 8th November. He was 24-year-old Jamie Mitchell from the Portrush area. The fatal collision occurred shortly after 1.20am on the Dunhill Road, involving a car and a pedestrian. Despite the efforts of emergency services, Mr Mitchell sadly died at the scene. Chief Inspect

A man in his 20s has died following a road traffic collision in Coleraine during the early hours of this morning, Saturday 8th November. Police have confirmed the incident occurred shortly after 1.20am on the Dunhill Road and involved a car and a pedestrian. Emergency services attended the scene, but despite their efforts, the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. Chief Inspector Celeste Simpson from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Collision Investigation Unit

Larne Lifeboat Dr John McSparran (Image: Jason Bain/RNLI Larne) The volunteer crew of Larne RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat Dr John McSparran on Friday afternoon (7 November) following reports of a yacht in difficulty off the County Antrim coast. At 1.26pm, HM Coastguard requested the launch after a crew member onboard the yacht raised the alarm. Conditions at the time were described as fine, with light winds and calm seas. Among those responding was volunteer crew m

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew on Galgorm Road, Ballymena, near Cambridge House Grammar School North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed confirmation from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) that a pedestrian crossing near Cambridge House Grammar School on Ballymena’s Galgorm Road will be considered in future traffic management works. Mr Frew said the development follows years of concerns raised by local residents about safety on the busy road, particularly for schoolchildren

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford and Chair of the Memorial Committee, Councillor Peter Johnston, officially launching Council’s new War Memorials and Monuments interactive website. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has unveiled a new interactive website that invites residents and visitors to explore the history, stories, and significance of War Memorials and Monuments across the Borough. The platform provides instant access to locations, images, and

Kilrea Bridge The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has announced interim measures that could see Kilrea Bridge reopen to cars and light vehicles before Christmas — offering a glimmer of relief to residents and traders after weeks of disruption. In a statement issued this today, the Department said it had been “working closely” with a specialist contractor since their appointment last week to explore every opportunity to “reduce the timescale and minimise disruption” for t

PSNI Ballymena Neighbourhood Inspector McToal Ballymena’s District Support Team (DST) has seized around £250,000 worth of drugs, cash, and weapons in a series of proactive operations carried out across the Mid and East Antrim area throughout October. The specialist team, made up of six officers, works under the direction of the District Commander and the Policing and Community Safety Partnership, tackling crime priorities that most affect local communities. Inspector McToal s

Bargain hunters in Ballymena are in for an extra treat this week as a number of town centre businesses have decided to extend their Ballymena Discount Day offers for a limited time. Following a hugely successful event, several local retailers and hospitality venues are keeping the spirit of savings alive, offering discounts, special deals, and added extras through to Saturday 8th November . Organised by Ballymena BID (Business Improvement District) , Ballymena Discount Day sa

Residents across Antrim and Newtownabbey are being invited to celebrate the start of the festive season at one of seven magical Christmas Light Switch On events taking place throughout the Borough from 20–29 November 2025. Each event promises festive entertainment, family fun, and a dazzling light display, creating an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors alike. The celebrations will kick off in Crumlin on Thursday 20 November at the Crumlin Leisure Centre from

Police have confirmed that a man has died following a single-vehicle road traffic collision in Magherafelt on Thursday evening, 6 November. Chief Inspector Celeste Simpson from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Collision Investigation Unit said: “Police received a report shortly after 5.50pm of a collision involving a car and a pedestrian in the Grange Road area. “Our officers attended, supported by colleagues from partner emergency services. However, sadly, the pedest

A celebration of female entrepreneurship and local creativity will take centre stage this weekend as Enterprising Women MEA hosts its highly anticipated Winter Showcase at Fairhill Shopping Centre, Ballymena , on Saturday 8 November from 9am to 4pm . Following the success of last year’s event, this year’s showcase promises to be “bigger and better than ever” , with 17 talented local traders bringing an array of handcrafted gifts, festive treats and creative products — just i

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced that the Northern Ireland Executive has approved his plan to restore pay parity for health service staff, bringing their pay levels back in line with colleagues across the UK. In a statement today, Mr Nesbitt said: “The Executive has today given me approval to deliver pay parity for health service staff, which was our original intention and what unions and professional bodies have been asking for and is their right.” The Minister con

Senior staff from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust pictured with representatives from SOS Causeway following a recent meeting where the group received an update from the Trust on the wide range of mental health services provided across the Causeway Coast and Glens area. Senior staff from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust have described recent discussions with community representatives from SOS Causeway as “productive” , following a meeting focused on mental h

A 54-year-old woman from east Belfast has been jailed for five months after fraudulently claiming she would donate a kidney to a man in desperate need of a transplant. Nicola Hutton was sentenced at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 6 November, having previously been convicted of a false communication offence. The case centred on Hutton’s deceitful contact with William “Billy” Cullen from Newtownabbey, who had been suffering from Polycystic Kidney Disease for around ten

Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows has warned that families already struggling with the cost of living will be “hit hard” by the Education Authority’s decision to raise the price of school meals by around 20 per cent. The increase – equivalent to an extra 50p per meal – is due to take effect from January 2026, as part of a series of savings measures introduced by the Education Authority (EA) to tackle a £300 million funding shortfall. Mr Burrows, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Ed

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has voiced disappointment after the UK Government blocked a proposed amendment that would have required new homes to include swift bricks – small, low-cost nesting spaces designed to help protect and restore the UK’s declining swift population. The amendment, known as the ‘swift brick amendment’ , was debated in Westminster on Monday night and would have applied to new homes in England and Wales that are more than five metres in height. However,

Member of Veterans Support Group Ballymena setting off on their fundraising 18-mile march from Templepatrick to Ballymena in the darkness of early morning In the early hours of Saturday 1 November, a determined group of military veterans and supporters set off from Templepatrick roundabout on an arduous 18-mile sponsored march to Ballymena Services Club, raising an estimated £4,000 for the Veterans Support Group Ballymena (VSGB). The gruelling challenge was the idea of Stephe

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew speaking today in the Northern Ireland Assembly A motion led today (Thursday 5 November) by North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew to support service leavers, veterans, and their families through the Armed Forces Covenant has been passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, receiving cross-party backing. The motion gained support from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) and the Alliance Party, marking a rare instance of cross

Diane Holden and Donna Houston, winners of the ‘technology to support medicines optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards. Clinical pharmacists at Antrim Area Hospital have won a UK-wide award for an innovative project that merges medicine with technology to improve patient safety and independence. Diane Holden and Donna Houston took home first prize in the ‘Technology to Support Medicines Optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards in Notting

A County Antrim man who attempted to smuggle cannabis worth £64,000 into Northern Ireland concealed inside a makeshift workbench has been sentenced following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). William Stewart, 46, living in Crumlin, was stopped by Border Force officers when he arrived in Belfast from Aldershot in October 2024. He had travelled by ferry in his transit van. During a search of the vehicle, a sniffer dog indicated the presence of drugs. Officers

Parents across Northern Ireland are bracing for higher school meal prices and potential changes to transport and music provision after the Education Authority (EA) confirmed a series of cost-saving measures to address a £300 million funding shortfall. The EA said the “regrettable” measures, which aim to deliver up to £30 million in savings, will begin to take effect this month. However, the organisation warned that even with these cuts, it will be “some distance” from breaki

More than 195,000 Universal Credit recipients in Northern Ireland will gain automatic entitlement to free NHS sight tests, dental treatment, and travel cost support from 1 December, following a key legislative update announced by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. The move brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK, after years of disparity in how Universal Credit recipients accessed the Help with Health Costs (HwHC) scheme. The HwHC scheme supports people on low in