NEWS

More than one million people across the UK have now used a free online checker designed to help consumers avoid poor mobile phone coverage, dropped calls and frustrating signal blackspots. The milestone, announced by Ofcom, highlights growing public concern over patchy mobile reception as people increasingly rely on smartphones for everyday essentials including banking, GP appointments, navigation, travel bookings and remote working. The regulator says its free “Map Your Mobi

Inset: Local woman Jill Stewart of Jill Bakes Clouds of softly whipped cream, crisp shards of sweet meringue, silky custard and juicy berries soaked in fragrant elderflower syrup come together in this irresistibly light summer dessert that tastes like sunshine in a glass. With strawberries at their sweetest and bright raspberries adding a sharp burst of freshness, this berry and elderflower Eton mess feels perfectly made for warm evenings, garden gatherings and those relaxed

More than half a million households across Northern Ireland are facing another jump in energy costs from Friday, with both electricity and gas prices rising amid renewed pressure on global wholesale markets linked to conflict in the Middle East. Power NI customers will see electricity tariffs increase by 6.2% from 1 July 2026, while regulated firmus energy gas customers in the Ten Towns network will face a much steeper rise of 15.65%. For many families already juggling food c

Police in Ballymena have seized a quantity of suspected Class A and Class B drugs along with a large amount of cash following a proactive search operation in the town. A 35-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drugs-related offences and remains in police custody. The operation was carried out by officers from the Local Policing Team on Saturday, 30 May, as part of ongoing efforts to target the supply and distribution of illegal drugs in the Ballymena area. T

Northern Ireland is preparing for one of its biggest weeks of youth sport of the year after the full fixture list for the 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI was officially unveiled — bringing Manchester United, Liverpool, Rangers, Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland back to pitches across the north this summer. More than 1,200 young players from across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East will descend on the Causeway Coast and Glens, Mid and East Antrim, an

Hundreds of thousands of people across Northern Ireland could be living with dangerously high blood pressure without realising it — and a free health event coming to Ballymena aims to change that before lives are put at risk. Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS) has launched a public awareness campaign highlighting what it describes as the hidden danger of undetected high blood pressure, a condition linked to one in every two heart attacks and strokes. As part of the

Psychological thrillers, contemporary romance and emotionally driven fiction are continuing to fly off the shelves at Waterstone’s Ballymena, with the latest weekly Top 10 revealing the books currently capturing readers’ attention across the town. As Father’s Day approaches, the Ballymena store is also encouraging shoppers to browse its growing range of books and gifts, while community book clubs and family storytime sessions continue to draw in readers of all ages. Top 10 th

Jonathon Fulton (CCP Chair), Dr Paul Roelle (US Consulate), Richard Hanna (CCP) Cullybackey Community Partnership has unveiled a major new exhibition exploring the remarkable role ordinary people from the local area played in the events surrounding American Independence — uncovering stories that stretch from rural Mid and East Antrim to the inner circle of George Washington himself. The project, titled Ordinary People Extraordinary History – Cullybackey and American Independe

Neil Coleman (left) pictured with Ballymena United FC Chairman Chris Selwood Ballymena United FC has announced the appointment of experienced football communications specialist Neil Coleman as the club’s new Director of Communications and Marketing ahead of the 2026/2027 season. The appointment sees Coleman join the Sky Blues’ senior management structure with responsibility for overseeing the club’s communications strategy, media relations, digital platforms and wider brand d

Ballymena Rail and Bus Centre Motorists and public transport passengers in Ballymena are being warned to expect disruption for much of the summer as major roadworks linked to the expansion of the town’s Park & Ride facility get underway from Monday, 1 June. The works, centred around the busy Galgorm Road and Waveney Road junction near Ballymena Train Station, are expected to continue until the end of August 2026 as part of a significant upgrade project aimed at dramatically i

Thousands of households across Northern Ireland are facing another rise in energy costs this summer after both Power NI and firmus energy announced significant price increases coming into force from 1 July. The twin increases mean many families already under pressure from rising living costs will now see both electricity and gas bills climb again within weeks, with suppliers blaming global wholesale markets, network charges and ongoing international conflict for the latest hi

McGroggan’s shop on William Street, serving up its last scoops of ice cream after 103 years in Ballymena town centre McGroggan’s owner Patricia McGroggan has spoken of the heartbreak behind the closure of the iconic Ballymena ice cream shop, revealing how soaring costs, collapsing town centre footfall, Brexit disruption and changing shopping habits ultimately brought an end to the 103-year-old family business. The William Street shop — famous across generations for its vanill

Cullybackey Orange Hall and arch stand proudly in the village Cullybackey is set to host a landmark moment in the local parading calendar next month as Ballymena District LOL No. 8 brings its first-ever District Mini 12th parade to the village in what organisers are describing as a major community celebration. The historic event, taking place on Saturday 27 June 2026, is expected to draw families, supporters, bands and spectators from across the wider Ballymena area for a day

Another major order for electric buses has been placed with Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, strengthening the company’s growing role at the centre of the UK’s transition to cleaner public transport and securing further work for Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector. Transport for Greater Manchester has confirmed an additional order for 125 electric buses for the Bee Network, with the fleet to be built by Wrightbus as the region pushes towards a fully electric bus network

Nine-year-old Ballymena boy Joshua Mairs who underwent emergency surgery in the Royal Victoria Hospital after being hit by an e-scooter in Cullybackey A nine-year-old boy has undergone surgery for a shattered elbow after being knocked down in a collision involving an e-scooter in Cullybackey — forcing his family to cancel a long-planned holiday and prompting a fresh warning to parents about the dangers of the illegal machines. Joshua Mairs was walking back from Cullybackey Pa

At the launch of the new Chatty Bench at Devenagh Way, Ballymena: Mid & East Antrim Mayor Jackson Minford; Councillor Brian Thompson; Roy McClean, Housing Executive; Marjorie Hawkins, Chair of the Loneliness Network; Councillor Bréanainn Lyness; with some local residents. Two new ‘Chatty Benches’ have been installed in Ballymena as part of an ongoing effort to tackle loneliness and social isolation across Mid and East Antrim. The latest benches — located at The Rectory Estat

Police are investigating after a man was stabbed in a Ballymena housing estate during the early hours of Thursday morning. Emergency services were called to the Dunclug Park area shortly before 7.45am on Thursday 28 May following reports of a stabbing. It is understood Northern Ireland Air Ambulance also was tasked to the incident. The male victim received medical treatment at the scene before being taken for further care. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening

Police are investigating after a pipe bomb exploded outside an occupied home in Broughshane late on Wednesday night, causing extensive damage and leaving residents shaken but unharmed. The attack happened in the Rectory Gardens area at around 11pm on Wednesday, May 27, when a device was reportedly placed on the living room window ledge of the property while three people were inside. The explosion caused major damage to the home, blowing out windows and damaging the living roo

The Garron Plateau, part of the Antrim Hills. (Image: GOA Insta) North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has warned that more must be done to protect the North Antrim Hills from the threat of wildfires this summer, arguing current measures are not enough as dry conditions increase concern across Northern Ireland. The DUP representative raised the issue directly with Andrew Muir, questioning what action the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is taking to reduc

Ballymena boxer Ella McDonald A Ballymena woman who only started boxing in her mid-twenties is preparing to make her professional debut next month after an extraordinary rise through the amateur ranks that has already seen her claim major titles, win international medals and train alongside some of the best fighters in Ireland. At just 28 years old, Ella McDonald will step into the professional game for the first time at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on June 26 — a moment she onc