NEWS

Land-based Engineering students Emily Scott (Garvagh) and Oliver John (Ballycastle) invite you to attend Greenmount Campus Open Day. Young people considering a future in agriculture, agri-food or land-based engineering will have the chance to explore courses, career opportunities and campus life at a special Open Day at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus next month. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) will welcome prospective students to its Antrim campus on

Almost 900 complaints were made to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust during a nine-month period, as new figures reveal a sharp rise in complaints across Northern Ireland’s health service. The Northern Trust recorded 896 complaints between April and December 2025 — 17% of the 5,222 received by all six Health and Social Care Trusts, including the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. Across Northern Ireland, the total was up by 1,208 — or 30% — from 4,014 during the same

The Ulster Farmers’ Union has called for more Northern Ireland-produced food to be served in schools, hospitals and other public sector institutions, arguing that taxpayers’ money could do more to support local farmers and strengthen the region’s food supply. UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy said recent debate over the sourcing of chicken products used in Northern Ireland school meals should prompt a wider conversation about where food bought by public bodies comes from. The

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Tom Gordon The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Tom Gordon, has led tributes to four respected figures with connections to communities across the borough who died recently. Speaking at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council at The Braid in Ballymena earlier this week, the mayor paid tribute to Janetta Scott, Joe Carmichael, Liam Kelly and award-winning Ballymena journalist and author Stephen Walker. Ald Gordon offered con

Redbay RNLI launched after a 46ft yacht became trapped off Cushendall, on the Antrim coast. Six people have been brought to safety after Red Bay RNLI volunteers spent seven hours at sea in gale-force conditions when a 46ft yacht became trapped at a fish farm off Cushendall. The overnight Mayday operation began in the early hours of Saturday morning after the yacht, which was travelling from Oban in Scotland to Portugal, lost all power and steering after making contact with th

CGI showing an impression of the new building Planning permission has been granted for the proposed partial redevelopment of St Louis Grammar School on Cullybackey Road, Ballymena. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee approved proposals including a new school meals block, improved outdoor areas and a reconfiguration of the front of the site aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing congestion on Cullybackey Road. New school meals block and play area The

Ballymena Town Hall, and (inset) Braid Councillor Alan Barr Mid and East Antrim councillors have backed a call for a dedicated Stormont funding programme to help community groups tackle weeds, litter and neglected public spaces across the borough. The proposal would provide financial support for community organisations and social enterprises carrying out environmental improvements, although several councillors cautioned that any new scheme must not allow councils or other sta

Ahoghill is gearing up for a packed Saturday of family entertainment, music and marching bands, with a Family Community Fun Day from noon before around 45 bands are expected to take part in the village’s annual parade. The Family Community Fun Day at Bar Indigo will run from 2pm until 6pm tomorrow, Saturday 12 September, before Ahoghill Loyal Sons of William FB Annual Band Parade gets underway from the Community Centre at 7.30pm. Organisers say bands, friends, families and su

Girls across Northern Ireland will be guaranteed the choice to wear trousers as part of their school uniform under revised legally binding guidelines issued by Education Minister Paul Givan. Ulster Unionist Party leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has welcomed the move as a “common-sense outcome”, while claiming the Minister could have resolved the issue earlier without the Education Committee having to pursue legislation. The revised Department of Education gu

DfI contractors on site refreshing the road markings outside Ballymena Primary School on the busy Ballymoney Road North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed action to improve road safety outside Ballymena Primary School after he raised concerns with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) on behalf of the school. Fresh yellow zig-zag markings have now been installed after the school’s principal highlighted faded road markings and malfunctioning flashing school safety signs. Whil

An alleyway in Killane Park, Ahoghill where residents have raised concerns over weeds and moss across the estate TUV Alderman Stewart McDonald has called for action over the condition of footpaths and alleyways at Killane Park in Ahoghill after residents raised concerns about overgrown weeds, vegetation and moss. The local representative said he was contacted by residents unhappy with the condition of the area and subsequently raised their concerns with North Antrim MP Jim Al

Waveney Road and Clonavon Terrace in Ballymena Residents across Harryville and Clonavon are being encouraged to put their homes forward for a new competition celebrating the everyday efforts helping to improve both neighbourhoods. The Harryville and Clonavon Best Kept Property Competition offers cash prizes of up to £100, with judging due to take place from Monday 14 to Friday 18 September 2026. Small efforts can make a difference Organisers have stressed that entrants do not

Inset: North Antrim MP Jim Allister Ballymena GP practices face a wait until at least 2029 for the rollout of Multi-Disciplinary Teams designed to ease pressure on doctors and give patients greater access to physiotherapy, mental health and social work support. North Antrim MP Jim Allister has called for the timetable to be reconsidered after being contacted by local GPs concerned that Ballymena remains without the additional primary care support. Mr Allister subsequently rai

Northern Ireland’s lowest-earning households are being left with an average of just £53.17 a week after taxes and basic household spending, new research has revealed. The latest Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker from the Consumer Council shows some improvement in household finances at the beginning of 2026 — but spending power remains dramatically below where it was five years ago. For the lowest-income quarter of households, discretionary income has fallen by 35

Tesco has been urged to include Northern Ireland customers in future fuel promotions after shoppers here were excluded from a 5% offer available across Great Britain. Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has written directly to Tesco’s Chief Executive over the issue, arguing that customers in Northern Ireland should not be left at a disadvantage when major UK retailers launch promotions. The intervention follows an earlier complaint which resulted in

Jailed: Ballymena man Bradley Douglas A Ballymena man identified by police as one of the “main instigators” of rioting in the town last summer has been sentenced to five years, with half of the term to be spent in custody. Bradley Douglas, 28, was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court today, Wednesday 9 September, after being convicted of riot and burglary with intent to cause unlawful damage. He was given a five-year sentence, comprising 30 months in custody and 30 months on licen

A typical Share Energy customer will face an extra £129 a year in electricity costs after the supplier confirmed a 12.6% increase in its standard 24-hour tariff from 1 October 2026. The estimated annual increase applies to both credit and prepayment customers. The Consumer Council described the rise as “very unwelcome news” for around 41,000 Share Energy consumers. Customers struggling to pay their bills or top up their meters are being urged to contact their supplier for hel

PD Isco who helped discovere the seized haul Drugs valued by police at around £50,000 have been seized alongside weapons and approximately £5,000 in cash during searches in Ballymoney and Armoy. Two people were arrested following the operation on Monday 7 September. One was subsequently charged with drug-related offences and a firearms offence and remanded in custody after appearing in court on Tuesday. Knuckledusters, knives and taser batons were among the weapons recovered,

David pictured with his Dad, who he is his named after. David Clarke was just 21 when he began to understand that the father who had spent his life looking after him was slowly going to need his son to do the same for him. Almost 14 years later, dementia has taken conversations, memories and many of the ordinary moments they once shared — but it has never taken the bond between them. “Memories may fade but love remains,” David says. Now, after years in which the experience fe

Councils are set to receive stronger powers to tackle dangerous buildings, abandoned properties and neglected land after new Northern Ireland-wide legislation cleared its final Assembly stage. The Dilapidation Bill will allow councils, including Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, to intervene earlier and issue enforcement notices requiring property owners, occupiers or others with a relevant interest to carry out remedial work. Where a council is forced to undertake the wor