NEWS

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has called for a new bridge in Kilrea in the wake of the prolonged closure of the village’s Bann bridge. At January’s full council meeting, members approved a cross-party motion proposed by UUP councillor Richard Holmes and seconded by Sinn Féin councillor Sean Bateson and DUP alderman Michelle Knight-McQuillan . The motion stated: “This council notes the recent closure of Kilrea’s Bann Bridge due to maintenance issues and the detri

Aerial view of the Causeway Hospital site in Coleraine Plans to extend the car park at Causeway Hospital have been submitted to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. The application, which was recently lodged via the council’s planning portal, seeks permission to extend the existing car parking area in a bid to alleviate ongoing parking pressures at the site. The proposals also include associated access and circulation works, new lighting, landscaping, and provision for f

Anglers from across the North West and beyond are being encouraged to mark their calendars following confirmation of dates for the North West Angling Fair 2026, one of Northern Ireland’s premier fishing events. Derry City and Strabane District Council has announced that the popular fair will take place on Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th, 2026, returning to Strabane with a move to the newly refurbished Melvin Sports Complex. Organisers say the 2026 edition promises

Stephen Fillis with his younger brother Jonathan. For many families, navigating adulthood can be challenging. For those supporting a loved one with a learning disability, those challenges are often accompanied by uncertainty, concern and difficult questions about the future. A powerful personal account from Coleraine is now shining a light on how the right support can transform not just one life, but an entire family. Stephen Fillis has shared his family’s journey as part of

Pictured at the recent launch of the Prescribe A Mile initiative in Coleraine, including service users, James Cannie, Consultant Respiratory Physician at Causeway Hospital and Darren French, Interim Head of Service Cardiac at Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke. A new health and wellbeing initiative designed to help people become more active is now under way in Coleraine, encouraging residents and patients alike to take small, manageable steps towards a healthier lifestyle.

Sara Smyth, a clinical sister in Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department Healthcare staff across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Trust) are urging the public to treat frontline workers with respect and understanding, as new figures reveal a sharp rise in violence and aggression towards staff. With Emergency Departments becoming increasingly busy and wider health services under sustained pressure, the Trust says incidents of abuse are placing further stra

Riverside Retail Park, Coleraine A Ballymena-based property company headed by local businessman Ryan Walker has completed a landmark £30 million acquisition that brings one of Northern Ireland’s most prominent retail destinations under single local ownership for the first time. Magmel (Ballymena) Limited , which owns the Fairhill Shopping Centre in Ballymena , has acquired Riverside Retail Park in Coleraine from Kelvin Properties Ltd, in a transaction overseen by TDK Property

Courtney and Corrin Kennedy (7) from Dunloy, Co. Antrim. For seven-year-old Corrin Kennedy from Dunloy, Co Antrim , this Christmas will be unlike any other. Instead of hospital appointments and medical routines, Corrin and his mum, Courtney, are travelling to Lapland on a magical, once-in-a-lifetime journey made possible by the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust. Corrin, who has cerebral palsy (left-sided hemiplegia), epilepsy and is registered a

Police in Magherafelt have issued a public appeal for assistance in identifying the body of a man found in the Diamond area of the town earlier today, Sunday 14th December. Officers were alerted to the discovery during the morning, prompting an immediate investigation. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed that the man is believed to have died within the past 24 hours and that his death is not being treated as suspicious at this time. Inspector Knipe has

Cannabis plants discovered at a property in Cookstown Police have arrested three men after discovering a suspected cannabis factory in the Kinturk Road area of Cookstown late on Friday, 5th December. According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), officers were responding to a report of criminal damage when they uncovered the large-scale drugs operation. Detective Inspector Maguire of the Organised Crime Branch said: “Officers received a report that four men had

Pictured are Anne O’Reilly, Chairperson Northern Trust, Jackie Burns, Ethel Glasgow, Iris Burns and Suzanne Pullins Chief Executive Northern Trust Cookstown woman and former nurse Ethel Glasgow, aged 93, has been announced as the winner of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust’s 2025 Christmas card competition, after her hand-drawn festive design captured the hearts of judges. Mrs Glasgow, who attends Cookstown Day Centre, created a charming winter scene featuring a robin

Kilrea Bridge Kilrea Bridge is set to reopen to cars and light vehicles this weekend, as the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) confirms that temporary stabilisation works are nearing completion. The route will reopen at 8am on Saturday 6 December, restoring a vital connection for local residents and businesses in the run-up to Christmas. The bridge, located on the B64 Bann Road, has been closed to allow engineers to carry out essential safety work. DfI has now confirmed tha

Kilrea Bridge UUP councillor Richard Holmes has expressed concern that responsibility for supporting local businesses affected by the closure of Kilrea Bridge is “being passed around like a grenade” among government departments. In late September, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) announced the bridge’s closure due to concerns about the structural stability of a retaining wall on the approach to the structure. DfI has since said it is working with a specialist contrac

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is now looking for new Community Health and Wellbeing Champions to join its volunteer community. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has launched a new volunteer drive, appealing to members of the public with a passion for improving health outcomes in their local communities. The Trust is now seeking Community Health and Wellbeing Champions who will work alongside staff to help share information, services and resources aimed at

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has formally identified the man who died in a two-vehicle collision on the Windyhill Road between Limavady and Coleraine. The victim has been confirmed as 57-year-old David Elder, from the Ballymoney area. Mr Elder tragically died at the scene of Thursday’s crash, which occurred shortly after 9.45am and involved a lorry and a white Peugeot Partner van. The Windyhill Road remained closed for several hours on Thursday, 20 November,

A man has died following a two-vehicle road traffic collision on Windyhill Road, between Limavady and Coleraine, on Thursday 20 November, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed. The incident, which occurred shortly after 9.45am, involved a lorry and a white Peugeot Partner van. Chief Inspector Celeste Simpson, from the Collision Investigation Unit , said: “Police received a report shortly after 9.45am, on Thursday morning, of a collision involving a lorry

L-R Health Minister Mike Nesbitt; Dr Eddie Gibson, Consultant Radiologist & Clinical Director;  Lynne McCartney, Director of Surgery and Clinical Services (Interim). Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has officially opened a new state-of-the-art MRI scanner unit at Causeway Hospital, marking a major milestone in diagnostic services for the North Coast. The investment will significantly increase imaging capacity across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, enabling faster diagn

Farmers’ Choir at their 2024 Christmas Concert The Farmers’ Choir is set to bring festive cheer to communities in Kilrea and Ballymena this December, as it prepares to deliver two special Christmas performances filled with music, Scripture and seasonal celebration. The Choir will open its December schedule with a traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Tuesday 2 December at 8pm in St Patrick’s Church, Kilrea . Audiences can expect a reflective and uplifting evening

Two police officers were injured after their vehicle was deliberately rammed during an incident in Maghera on Tuesday night. The collision occurred at around 10.20pm on Tuesday, 18 November, after police received reports of a van “speeding and swerving dangerously” on the Glenshane Pass. When officers arrived in the area, the van was observed travelling on the wrong side of the carriageway, heading directly towards oncoming traffic. Police say the 18-year-old male driver the

Police have arrested a man following a reported hit-and-run collision in Coleraine on Sunday, 16 November, which left a motorcyclist injured. Officers said the incident occurred in the Willowfield Park area, where a man in his 50s, who had been riding a motorcycle, was struck by a grey Audi car. He was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries to his leg and arm. A woman at the scene attempted to intervene when the collision happened, signalling for the driver to stop and p