NEWS

Noah and Grace have been confirmed as the most popular baby names given to children registered in Northern Ireland in 2025, with fresh figures showing long-standing favourites holding firm while a wave of new and unusual names continues to emerge. The latest Baby Names 2025  statistics, published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) , reveal that Grace has retained the number one spot for girls, while Noah has climbed back to the top of the boy

A woman has been taken to hospital following a three-vehicle road traffic collision in Bellaghy on Sunday evening, with police now appealing for witnesses and motorists with dashcam footage to come forward. The crash happened in the Ballymacombs Road area of Bellaghy shortly after 6.30pm on Sunday, April 12, prompting an emergency response and the temporary closure of the road. Police said the woman’s injuries are not believed to be serious at this time. The road remained clo

Cancer services in Northern Ireland remained under intense strain at the end of 2025, with the latest Department of Health figures showing that almost all key waiting time targets continued to be missed despite an increase in the number of patients beginning treatment and a sharp rise in breast cancer assessments. The newly published Accredited Official Statistics cover the quarter ending December 2025 and set out waiting times for patients accessing cancer services at hospit

An action plan is set to be implemented by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust at Whiteabbey Hospital by the end of next month in a bid to improve theatre efficiency. Trust board members were presented with a report on theatre performance at the end of February, which showed that performance in the Trust’s “peripheral” hospitals — Whiteabbey and Mid Ulster — is below target in terms of both operating and run times. Operating times refer to the time spent on each patient

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust board has approved a business case for the purchase of nine new ultrasound scanners at a cost of almost £700,000. A report presented to the Trust board at its most recent meeting in January said: “This proposal aims to replace nine ultrasound scanners within radiology across the Trust. “The service covers a wide range of routine, planned, red flag and urgent examinations for both inpatients and outpatients, as well as unscheduled car

A man has been arrested after a suspected deliberate house fire in Moneymore left one man injured and forced neighbouring residents from their homes. Emergency services were called to the incident in the Rockview Park area shortly before 2pm on Thursday, March 12, after reports that a property had caught fire while people were inside. Police say a man and a child were inside the house at the time the blaze broke out. The child escaped unharmed, while the man was taken to hosp

Drugs seized by police in Mid Ulster Police in Mid Ulster have seized drugs valued at over £80,000 in a major operation targeting local drug supply. During a coordinated Day of Action on Friday 20 February, officers recovered Class A and B substances, including suspected cocaine, ketamine, and cannabis. The proactive searches were carried out across multiple properties in the Cookstown and Stewartstown areas. Local District Support Team (DST) officers led the operation, with

A viable device has been discovered in a residential area of Upperlands, prompting a significant police response and an urgent public appeal for information. Detectives are investigating the security alert in the Oakvale Terrace area, which unfolded on Saturday, February 21. The incident led to the establishment of multiple cordons as specialist officers attended the scene. Detective Inspector Keon confirmed the seriousness of the find. He said: “Following a report to police

Hollybank staff members Darren Mitchell and Kellie Grant. Hollybank Supported Living in Magherafelt is recruiting additional Band 3 support workers, as the Northern Health and Social Care Trust encourages people to consider a career in social care supporting adults with learning disabilities. Recruitment open days will take place in March, with applications now open online. The Trust is seeking staff to work across supported living and short breaks services at Hollybank, offe

Anna Short secured a scholarship through CAFRE’s Industry Support Programme in conjunction with Pilgrim’s Europe. A paid placement year through the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Industry Support Programme has helped a Greenmount Campus student gain hands-on experience across the poultry sector and clarify her future career ambitions. Anna Short, a BSc (Hons) Sustainable Agriculture student at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus , secured a scholarship placem

Inset: SDLP Councillor Malachy Quinn SDLP Councillor Malachy Quinn has expressed delight that his campaign for the introduction of Caoimhé’s Law is continuing to gather momentum, with the Justice Minister and two Northern Ireland local authorities now pledging their support. In October 2025, the Torrent DEA representative tabled a motion calling for legal restrictions on the sharing on social media of images and videos taken at the scenes of serious road traffic collisions.

Two men have been arrested following an arson attack on a residential flat in Cookstown that caused significant damage and forced the evacuation of neighbouring residents. Police confirmed they received a report of a fire at an upstairs flat in the Sullenboy Park area at approximately 7.10pm on Saturday, 31 January. A PSNI spokesperson said: “We received a report at approximately 7.10pm on Saturday, 31st January of a flat fire in the Sullenboy Park area. “Upon officers’ arriv

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

Convicted 70-year-old Edward Allen Police have praised the courage and resilience of a victim after a 70-year-old man was sentenced for a series of sexual offences at Dungannon Crown Court. Edward Allen, aged 70 , was sentenced on Monday 19 January for two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault by penetration. The court handed down a four-year prison sentence, with half to be served in custody and the remainder on licence . A Sexual Offences Prevention Order

Missing Cookstown man, 21-year-old Taylor Stewart Police have confirmed that the body of a man has been located in Cookstown this afternoon, Wednesday 7 January, following days of intensive search efforts across the town. While formal identification has not yet taken place, police have confirmed that the family of Taylor Stewart, who has been missing since the early hours of New Year’s Day, has been informed. Taylor, aged 21, was last seen in the Church Heights area of Cookst

Missing man: Taylor Stewart (21) from Cookstown Police have issued a renewed appeal to help locate missing Cookstown man Taylor Stewart, as officers share a direct and emotional message from his grandfather amid ongoing search efforts. Taylor, aged 21, was last seen in the Church Heights area of Cookstown at around 5.30am on New Year’s Day, Thursday 1st January. Since then, police have been carrying out extensive searches across the town, supported by specialist teams and vol

Missing man Taylor Stewart Police are continuing to appeal for information on the whereabouts of missing Cookstown man Taylor Stewart, as officers today released an image of him taken on the night he went missing. Taylor, aged 21, is pictured in the Church Heights area of Cookstown at around 5.30am on New Year’s Day, Thursday 1 January, the last confirmed sighting of him before he disappeared. Officers say concern for Taylor’s welfare is increasing as enquiries continue, with

Missing person: 21-year-old Taylor Stewart Police are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of a 21-year-old man reported missing in Cookstown, prompting an urgent public appeal for information. Taylor Stewart was last seen in the Church Heights area of Cookstown at approximately 5.30am on Thursday, 1 January, sparking fears for his safety as the search continues into the day. Taylor is described as being approximately 5ft 8in tall, of medium build, with dark hair an

Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Frances Burton (DUP) , has revealed she is having sleepless nights over the plight of three elderly residents she knows well who are in desperate need of home care. The Clogher Valley DEA representative made the comments at the Development Committee meeting of Mid Ulster District Council on December 3, where she argued that recent grant funding from the Department for Communities (DfC) should, at least in part, be used to train

A 20-year-old man has died and two teenagers have been seriously injured following a multi-vehicle road traffic collision in Cookstown in the early hours of Friday morning. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that the fatal collision occurred on the Drum Road shortly before 12.40am on Friday 26 December and involved three vehicles. Chief Inspector Simpson of the Police Service’s Collision Investigation Unit said police received reports of a two-vehicle co