NEWS

A 53-year-old man is to appear in court after detectives seized suspected drugs worth an estimated £4 million at Larne Harbour, in a significant operation targeting organised crime networks operating across Northern Ireland and the wider island of Ireland. The development follows a major joint investigation involving the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Branch and the An Garda Síochána National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau, working together under the Joi

Katrina Kelly, Assistant Director Nursing and User Experience Unit at the Northern Trust. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is calling on patients, carers and service users across Northern Ireland to share their healthcare experiences as part of Patient Experience Week, highlighting how public feedback is already driving improvements in frontline services. Running from 27 April to 1 May, the awareness week puts a spotlight on the role patient voices play in shaping ca

Drugs seized during the police operation at Larne Harbour, County Antrim Detectives have seized suspected drugs worth an estimated £4 million following a major cross-border operation targeting organised crime, after a lorry travelling from Scotland to Larne Harbour was stopped and searched on Monday, 27 April. The operation, led by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Branch in collaboration with the An Garda Síochána National Drugs & Organised Crime Burea

A 16-year-old boy has died and a 10-year-old child remains in a critical condition following a serious two-vehicle collision near Nutts Corner on Sunday morning, with a driver now arrested and police appealing for witnesses. The fatal crash happened on the Belfast Road shortly before 8am on Sunday 26 April, involving a black Volkswagen Golf and a silver Volkswagen Passat. Emergency services were called to the scene, where a teenage male passenger in the Passat, aged 16 and fr

Pictured at the anniversary party for the Roddens A care home that has supported generations of families in Ballymoney has marked a major milestone, celebrating 55 years of service with a poignant reunion that brought its history full circle. The Roddens, which opened in 1971, commemorated its anniversary last month by welcoming back its very first care assistant, in a celebration that highlighted both its legacy and its continuing role in healthcare across Northern Ireland.

Two people have died following a devastating two-vehicle collision in the Lisburn area on Saturday evening, prompting an active police investigation and a renewed appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that the fatal crash occurred shortly before 6pm on Saturday, 25 April, on the Glenavy Road in Upper Ballinderry, involving a motorcycle and a car. Emergency services, including officers, the Northern Ireland Ambulance

Proud winners - the Travelmax Ballymena team. A family-run Ballymena business has made history after being named the UK & Ireland’s top travel agency — the first time a Northern Ireland company has ever secured the industry’s highest honour. Travelmax, a female-led agency marking its 25th year in business, claimed the overall title at the prestigious TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies Awards, alongside two additional major accolades, in a landmark night for the local firm. The awards

Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with high-octane thrillers, fantasy favourites and a strong showing from local author Jan Carson reflecting another busy week for readers in the town. From Lee Child’s latest action-driven release to rising demand for immersive fantasy and contemporary fiction, the chart highlights a wide mix of genres capturing the attention of Ballymena book lovers. Top 10 for this week A blend of page-turning suspense

Scenes from the Bluebell Festival today (Saturday 25 April) at Portglenone Forest. (All pics: Steven McAuley / McAuley Multimedia) Residents and visitors from across Northern Ireland gathered in large numbers at Portglenone Forest on Saturday 25 April, as the 2026 Bluebell Festival transformed the woodland into a vibrant celebration of nature, community, and outdoor activity. The annual event, organised by the MEA Outdoors team from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, saw fa

(L-R) Kiran Minhas, Principal Katy Lynas Craig and Clare McGall A Ballymena nursery school has become the first in Northern Ireland to receive the highest level of recognition for its approach to children’s emotional wellbeing, marking a significant milestone in early years education across the region. Ballymena Integrated Nursery School has been awarded ‘gold standard’ Togetherness school accreditation — the top tier of a UK-wide scheme led by NHS-backed emotional health exp

(L-R) Mervyn Whyte, Event Director, North West 200 and BBC Sport NI’s Stephen Watson BBC Sport NI will continue to bring the North West 200 to audiences worldwide until its historic centenary year after securing a new three-year broadcast extension with the Coleraine and District Motor Club. The agreement ensures that coverage of the Briggs Equipment North West 200 will remain on BBC platforms from 2027 through to 2029, a milestone year marking 100 years of one of Northern Ir

Members of the Newtownabbey Softball Club, Robert Robinson, Steven Rovertson, Kieran Grimley, Oonagh O’Flaherty and Alexandra Kelly Ballyclare is preparing to host one of Northern Ireland’s most historic and wide-ranging community festivals next month, as the Ballyclare May Fair returns for its 270th year with a packed eight-day programme of events, road closures, and town-wide celebrations from 16–23 May 2026. Organised by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and sponsore

Passengers travelling from Belfast are set for a significant boost in choice this winter after easyJet confirmed two new direct routes from Belfast International Airport, opening up both a major European capital and a popular Red Sea resort with year-round sunshine. The airline will begin flying from Belfast International to Sharm El Sheikh on 25 October, followed by Rome on 26 October, with both routes operating twice weekly and forming part of a wider nine-route expansion a

South Antrim MP Robin Swann with Nico the police dog at the PSNI’s Steeple Training Campus in Antrim South Antrim MP Robin Swann has praised the PSNI Dog Section as a “vital and evolving force in modern policing” after witnessing first-hand how specially trained dogs are now being deployed to locate hidden digital devices as well as track suspects and search property. The visit to the PSNI’s Steeple Training Campus in Antrim offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at the scale,

The Causeway Coast Ford Fair will return to Portrush this summer with a powerful new focus, as organisers confirm Cancer Focus Northern Ireland as the official charity partner for the 2026 event, bringing a major fundraising and awareness drive to one of the region’s most anticipated motoring gatherings. The event is set to take place on Sunday 7th June at West Bay, Portrush, drawing Ford enthusiasts, car clubs, families and visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond fo

Northern Ireland’s emergency departments have recorded their worst waiting times ever, with senior clinicians warning that lives are at risk unless urgent action is taken to address a deepening crisis across the health system. New figures covering January to March 2026 reveal a dramatic deterioration in performance, with patients facing unprecedented delays for treatment, admission, or discharge. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has issued a stark warning to the

Emergency departments across Northern Ireland are facing escalating strain, with new Department of Health figures confirming rising demand, worsening waiting time performance, and a sharp increase in the number of patients enduring extreme delays — with the Northern Trust area, including Antrim Area Hospital and Causeway Hospital, firmly at the centre of the pressure. The latest statistics, covering January to March 2026, show only 40.2% of patients were treated, discharged o

Kurt Harmer, Dealer Principal of Ballymena Honda, and Honda Racing’s John McGuinness, presented five Honda Fireblades and three Honda CBR600RR machines to Mervyn Whyte, Race Director of the Briggs Equipment North West 200 at the recent re-opening of the revamped Ballymena Honda showroom, in Co. Antrim. (Pics by: Stephen Davison) Ballymena Honda and Feridax have reinforced the safety operation at this year’s Briggs Equipment North West 200 by supplying a fleet of high-performa

Carl Cox, Josh Brookes and Alan Morris A major new partnership has been unveiled ahead of the 2026 Briggs Equipment North West 200, with Australian road racing star Josh Brookes confirmed to return to Portrush as part of a high-profile collaboration between Carl Cox Motorsport and the newly formed Uggly&Co Racing team. The deal will see Brookes line up in both Supersport races during race week, running from May 4–9, aboard a Suzuki GSX-R750 in the Fraser Homes and Tides Resta

Officers from the PSNI’s Safe Transport Team on patrol on the train network over the weekend. Police activity across the rail network between Ballymena and Belfast has resulted in an arrest and a series of drug-related sanctions, following targeted patrols by the PSNI’s Safe Transport Team. The operation, carried out on Saturday, April 18, saw officers focusing on both train services and key transport hubs, with enforcement action taken against several passengers found in pos