NEWS

The Rathkeel Road in the Broughshane area of Ballymena A quiet rural stretch outside Ballymena was plunged into uncertainty on Thursday night after three men reportedly jumped from a trailer transporting animals and fled into the surrounding countryside, prompting a police search involving a helicopter. The incident unfolded between approximately 9pm and 10pm on 30 April in the Rathkeel Road area near Broughshane, with residents left shaken as officers moved quickly to track

Zak Moore and Jack Strange, Sauna Masters at Galgorm, who were crowned Team Performance Champions at the 2026 UK Aufguss Championships, hosted at Galgorm’s Thermal Spa Village A standout double success for a Ballymena-based spa team has put Northern Ireland firmly on the international wellness map, after two Galgorm Sauna Masters claimed top honours at the 2026 UK Aufguss Championships on home soil. Zak Moore and Jack Strange were crowned Team Performance Champions following

An investigation into recurring blue-green algae in Lough Neagh is set to focus on the shoreline at Rea’s Wood in Antrim. A report due to be presented to the Operations Committee of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council at a meeting in Antrim Civic Centre on Tuesday evening (5 April) states that, following a preliminary site assessment, a company has identified Rea’s Wood as “a particularly suitable location for the deployment of its equipment during the summer months”. Th

Young people across the UK are facing mounting pressure ahead of GCSE and A-Level exams, with new figures revealing the scale of stress being carried into exam season. Childline delivered 1,679 counselling sessions linked to exam and revision stress between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, highlighting a sustained demand for support as students struggle to cope with expectations, workload and anxiety. The figures show a sharp peak in May, coinciding with the start of exams, wh

TV and radio presenter Dermot O’Leary filming in Ballycastle for the second series of ‘Dermot’s Taste of Ireland’. A major new television series showcasing Northern Ireland’s coastline is set to reach millions of viewers this weekend, as broadcaster Dermot O’Leary returns with a second series of his hit travel and food programme exploring the island of Ireland. The new series of ‘Dermot’s Taste of Ireland’ will begin airing on ITV1 and streaming platform ITVX on Saturday, 2 M

Ballymena Sinn Féin councillor Bréanainn Lyness with local resident Donna McElroy A long-awaited return of a community amenity has been realised in Ballymena, with a new bench installed at Devenagh Way in the Rectory Estate - replacing a previous seat removed years ago due to vandalism. The installation, completed in time for the summer months, marks a small but significant improvement for residents in the area, restoring a place to rest and gather that had been missing for s

A 66-year-old man has been charged to court with a series of serious offences, including attempted murder and terrorism-related charges, following the attack on Dunmurry Police Station. The development marks a significant escalation in the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Terrorism Investigation Unit probe into the incident, with the case now progressing through the courts. The man was arrested under the Terrorism Act on Tuesday, 28 April in the Dunmurry area, as part of

Action for Children staff Rosie Moore, Lorna Ballard and Franci Simpson with Jon Burrows MLA A North Antrim MLA has praised the “real difference” being made by a local early years service after seeing its impact first-hand during a visit to Ballymena. Jon Burrows visited Ballymena and Little Steps Antrim Sure Start on Doury Road on Friday, 1 May, where he met staff, parents and young children benefiting from the programme. The service, which operates across three sites in the

Lee Foods Oriental Supermarket, Belfast A Belfast supermarket has been fined £100,000 after pleading guilty to health and safety offences linked to a fatal workplace accident involving one of its employees. Lee Foods Oriental Supermarket was sentenced at Belfast Magistrates Court on Friday 1 May 2026 following the death of warehouse operative Mr Wei Wang, who died days after sustaining injuries in a fall at the premises. Fatal workplace accident The incident occurred on 15 Au

Blue Lights cast members Nathan Braniff, Siân Brooke and Katherine Devlin The cast of hit police drama Blue Lights have paused filming in Belfast to back a major BBC campaign celebrating the city’s growing influence in television, as a striking new installation transforms a key route through the city centre. Actors Siân Brooke, Nathan Braniff and Katherine Devlin stepped away from production on the show’s fourth series to visit a specially designed billboard on Great Victoria

Westlife are set to take centre stage on this week’s Late Late Show as the chart-topping group returns for the final episode of the season, marking a major moment in their 25th anniversary celebrations and a packed year ahead for fans across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne will lead the line-up with a performance of three of their biggest hits, alongside a surprise collaboration being kept tightly under wraps. The trio will also sit down w

The Gallaher Trust’s Board of Trustees are pictured with Ballymena 400 – Building on Partnership and Progress keynote speaker, Declan Lawn, co-writer of BBC drama, Blue Lights, alongside his BAFTA award. A major funding opportunity and a clear call for collaboration have been set out in Ballymena, as a high-profile event hosted by the Gallaher Trust brought together business leaders, community organisations and delivery partners to tackle some of the area’s most pressing eco

Official opening and ribbon cutting with Kate Sherry, Chief Commercial Officer, Belfast International Airport; Patrick Ntareme, General Manager, Flax & Soda, SSP UK & Ireland; Alistair Caldwell, Operations Manager, SSP UK & Ireland; and Richard Attwood, Director of Business Development, SSP UK & Ireland Passengers travelling through Belfast International Airport are being offered a new all-day dining experience with the opening of Flax & Soda, a major new restaurant at the he

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and DAERA Minister Andrew Muir pictured with Firefighter Ray Glynn, Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer Marcus Wright, Watch Commander Michaela Corr and Crew Commander Sheena McKieverigan from NIFRS. A major emergency response has been triggered across Northern Ireland after a series of wildfires tore through the Mourne Mountains and other areas, destroying vast stretches of land, threatening homes and placing intense pressure on frontline servi

Hannah Graham, Zarah Hutchinson, Lee Kane, Clare Doherty and Katherine Murphy led the BEAM Dawn Walk 2025, which saw over 250 participants walk through Ballymoney as the sun was rising, promoting positive mental health messages. A Ballymoney group focused on promoting positive mental health is continuing its 2026 programme with the return of its Dawn Walk and a series of community engagement efforts designed to strengthen connection, wellbeing and civic pride. BEAM – Building

Only six fixed penalty notices for dog fouling were issued across Mid and East Antrim during 2025, new figures have revealed, despite continued concerns from councillors and residents about the scale of the problem. The figures, released by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in response to a Freedom of Information request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, show that five fines were issued in Ballymena and one in Carrickfergus over the 12-month period. No p

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford and Maureen Pimley, Chairperson of the Islandmagee Community Development Association with representatives from the Islandmagee Community Gardening Group and the Islandmagee Community Fridge. A memorial stone marking the last witch trial on the island of Ireland has been given a new home in a community garden on the Islandmagee Peninsula, placing a centuries-old story at the heart of a modern space focused on wellbeing,

Martin Cleary (Rossnowlagh) and Cian Kirwan (Letterkenny) chatted to horticulture Lecturer, Caitriona McCrudden about pathways in horticulture. Prospective students were recently given a hands-on look at future career opportunities in horticulture and floristry as the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) opened its doors at Greenmount Campus in Antrim. The open day offered an in-depth insight into the wide range of study pathways available, with staff wel

The large, mature tree deliberately set on fire in Cullybackey. A deliberate fire at Cullybackey River Walk has drawn sharp criticism from a local councillor after emergency crews were called out to tackle what has been described as a reckless act of vandalism. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene in Cullybackey village, Ballymena, on Wednesday evening, April 29, after reports of a tree on fire in the area. The incident, which required a response from Ballymena Fire Stat

Dunsilly Ulster Unionist councillor Stewart Wilson Dunsilly Ulster Unionist councillor Stewart Wilson has welcomed a decision by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to approve the installation of CCTV at Neillsbrook Community Centre in Randalstown. Cllr Wilson confirmed the decision on social media after the issue was discussed behind closed doors at a meeting at Mossley Mill on Monday evening. Commenting online, he said: “This is a positive step, but it’s important to re

Pictured (L-R): The new UFU leadership team, new deputy president, Clement Lynch, new president, John McLenaghan and returning deputy president, Glenn Cuddy. A Garvagh farmer with a diverse agri-enterprise spanning beef, poultry, renewable energy and biogas has been elected as the new president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, setting the tone for a leadership focused on unity, sustainability and the challenges facing Northern Ireland’s farming sector. John McLenaghan was voted

Image of the proposed new M&S Foodhall Marks & Spencer has submitted a planning application for a new flagship Foodhall at Lakelands Retail Park in Enniskillen, signalling a significant retail move that would see the brand relocate to a larger, purpose-built site while retaining its existing workforce. The proposal, lodged with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in partnership with Elm Grange Ltd, forms part of M&S’s wider store rotation programme and is aimed at modernisin

New homes built at the St Patrick’s development in Ballymena A new chapter in Ballymena’s housing landscape is underway as Co-Ownership customers begin moving into homes at the St Patrick’s development — a large-scale mixed-tenure scheme designed to expand access to affordable home ownership while reshaping a key area of the town. The development, delivered by Radius Housing with MJ McBride Construction as lead contractor, comprises 135 homes built to full turnkey specificati

Minister Liz Kimmins is pictured with some of the DFI’s road crews who have made 10,000 repairs to the road network over the last eight weeks. Road crews across Northern Ireland have completed 10,000 repairs in just eight weeks, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has revealed, as efforts intensify to tackle widespread road damage following severe winter weather. The scale of the work comes after what the Minister described as “well documented” deterioration across the road n