NEWS

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has backed a motion supporting the use of silent fireworks at council events and on council-owned property. The motion was proposed by Antrim DUP Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM at a meeting of the council in Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey, on Monday evening. Cllr Dunlop asked the council to note the “negative impact” the noise of fireworks can have on children, pets and livestock, and called for a council-led campaign to raise awareness of

(L-R) Stacey McAlister Operations Director Mount Charles; Gavin Annon Chief Strategy Officer Mount Charles; Kate Sherry Chief Commercial Officer Belfast International Airport Mount Charles Group has announced a £1 million investment to transform the food and beverage offering at Belfast International Airport, marking a significant upgrade as part of the airport’s wider £100 million transformation programme. The investment will see a major revamp of the airport’s Northern Quar

Nurse Bernie Rogers A nurse with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has said she would “absolutely do it all over again” as she marks an extraordinary 50 years of service to the nursing profession. Bernie Rogers, from Maghera , began her career in January 1976 at the School of Nursing in Mid Ulster Hospital. Five decades on, and despite officially retiring, she continues to play a valued role within Team North, supporting colleagues and patients alike. A special event

Bryson Charitable Group has issued a formal apology to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and local residents following recent disruptions to recycling collection services. Addressing the Mayor and elected members at an open council meeting on Monday 26 January, Bryson Charitable Group Chief Executive Shane Logan acknowledged the impact of reduced service levels and outlined the steps taken to restore normal operations. Mr Logan confirmed that the backlog of missed coll

Asda Antrim colleagues, Brittany and Alan Quick-thinking Asda colleagues in Antrim have been praised for their professionalism, compassion and calm response after coming to the aid of a customer who collapsed outside the store. Alan and Brittany, both colleagues at the Antrim Asda superstore , rushed to help the woman after she suddenly fell while walking into the store with her mother, sustaining a serious facial injury. The incident unfolded rapidly, with staff and members

Audiences are being invited to step into the past and explore shared cultural journeys through a new heritage programme at The Old Courthouse Theatre, presented by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Titled Journeys , the series brings together live performance, music and storytelling to reflect on culture, place and movement through time, offering a varied programme designed to resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Counci

Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department Five beds were placed adjacent to fire safety doors at Antrim Hospital as a “last resort” to ease pressure in the emergency department, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board has been told. Speaking at a meeting of the Trust board at Antrim Hospital on Thursday (22 January), Gillian Traub, director of operations , said additional bed capacity had to be “created”. She explained that five in-patient spaces were identified, enab

Planning permission has been approved for the construction of a £3.5 million cancer support centre at Antrim Hospital, members of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board have been told. Paddy Graffin, the Northern Trust’s Divisional Director of Infrastructure, informed members at a meeting held at Antrim Hospital on Thursday that permission has been granted by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for the proposed new facility. The centre is being funded through a p

A special meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council was held at Mossley Mill on Tuesday 20 January as elected members intensified pressure on Bryson Recycling over ongoing waste and recycling collection problems affecting residents across the borough. The meeting was convened at the request of councillors to allow members to formally raise residents’ concerns in advance of a scheduled Full Council Meeting on Monday 26 January , which will be attended by the Chief Exe

A 36-year-old man has been arrested in the Antrim area on suspicion of a number of drug-related offences following police searches in Randalstown and along the Ballymena Road. The arrest followed the search of a vehicle on the Ballymena Road shortly before 2.00pm on Tuesday, 20 January. During the search, officers seized a quantity of suspected Class B controlled drugs along with a sum of cash. Police then carried out a further search at a residential property in The Parade a

Organ Donation Specialist Nurse Jacqueline Heasley pictured with colleagues from Causeway Hospital’s Emergency Department, Niamh Mullan, Carmel Alexander (Deputy Clinical Sister) Caoimhe Larsen (Staff Nurse) and Kim Carson. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is harnessing the power of storytelling to support children and families facing the loss of a loved one, with a new collection of bereavement books now available in hospital settings. A carefully selected range of

(L-R) Tina McMullan, Business and Improvement Advisor ETTNI, Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick and Jessica Smyth, Business Development Project Officer LMP Fully funded programme offers local electrical professionals qualifications in solar PV, battery storage, and EV charging installation Fifteen qualified electricians from the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough are set to benefit from a groundbreaking new training initiative designed to prepare the l

Bryson Recycling has apologised to householders following widespread disruption to recycling collections, as councils across Mid and East Antrim and Antrim and Newtownabbey move to address growing public frustration. The waste contractor issued a statement online on Friday, 16 January , acknowledging recent service delays and outlining steps being taken to restore normal collections. “Disruptions to our collection services recently are a result of staff shortages, weather co

Pet lovers across Northern Ireland are being invited to start the New Year on a high note as Barket, the much-loved market celebrating pets and their people, returns to The Junction Retail and Leisure Park in Antrim on Saturday 17 January 2026. Running from 11am to 4pm, the event promises a lively, family-friendly atmosphere, with over 50 stalls and exhibitors offering everything from gourmet dog treats and eco-friendly toys to bespoke collars and pet wellness products. Now f

Ralph Singco with his wife Cathrene Kith Quiñones Singco Police have confirmed that a man in his 30s who was critically injured in a Co Antrim road collision has sadly died. The man has been named locally as Ralph Singco, the husband of the pregnant woman who was killed in the same tragic crash. Mr Singco was critically injured in the two-car collision on the Moira Road near Nutts Corner in Crumlin on Sunday afternoon, 11 January, and has now sadly died from his injuries. The

RAF Aldergrove, and (inset) South Antrim MP Robin Swann speaking in the House of Commons Robin Swann MP has urged the Government to act with urgency to ensure the “full utilisation” of Aldergrove’s world-class military facilities, following the withdrawal of RAF Puma helicopters and the end of a long chapter in the site’s aviation history. Speaking in the House of Commons, the South Antrim MP questioned the Ministry of Defence on how it intends to address a growing capacit

A less-than-pleased resident shared their frustration of the new kerbside recycling system implemented by Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council Antrim and Newtownabbey councillors have highlighted ongoing concerns over missed bin collections, despite a recovery plan having been agreed last week between contractor Bryson Recycling and the borough council. In an update on Monkstown and surrounding areas, Threemilewater DUP councillor Mark Cooper said in an online post: “Despit

Victim of County Antrim collision Cathrene Kith Quiñones Singco The Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed the identity of the woman who died following a two-car collision near Nutts Corner in Crumlin on Sunday afternoon, 11 January. She has been named as Cathrene Kith Quiñones Singco, who was travelling as a backseat passenger at the time of the collision on the Moira Road. In a further tragic development, police have confirmed that Cathrene was pregnant and that h

A recovery plan has been agreed between Bryson Recycling and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council in a bid to address missed bin collections across the borough. Bryson Recycling reported a “positive meeting” with the council’s chief executive, Richard Baker, earlier this week to discuss ongoing problems with the collection service. A spokesperson for Bryson Recycling said: “We discussed the issues being raised and also the actions required to get our service back to a st

A meeting is due to take place this week between Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s chief executive, Richard Baker, and his counterpart at Bryson Recycling over missed bin collections across the borough. Councillors were told at a meeting of the council’s Operations Committee, held at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening, that service issues will be discussed on Wednesday, ahead of a further meeting with members in the council chamber later this month. Airport Sinn Fé