NEWS

Elevations of proposed apartment complex Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s planning department is considering two separate housing proposals in the town centre area of Ballymena. A planning application has been lodged with the local authority for the construction of a four-storey apartment building to the rear of Broughshane Street. The application has been submitted by an agent on behalf of Galgorm Developments for four two-bedroom apartments, a communal hallway and amen

Missing man: Gary Bain Police have confirmed that the body of a man was recovered from the River Lagan in south Belfast on Friday afternoon. The discovery was made on Friday 13th February during ongoing search activity in the area. While formal identification has not yet taken place, police have confirmed that the family of Gary Bain, who has been missing since 21st January, has been informed. Mr Bain, aged 37 and from Belfast, was last seen in the Ormeau Bridge area on the m

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council  has agreed a below-inflation District Rate increase of 3.35% for the 2026/27 financial year, following a Special Council meeting held on 12 February 2026. The decision means householders in the borough will pay an additional £20.58 per year — equivalent to £0.40 per week — based on a domestic property with a rateable value of £124,728. The Council said both officers and elected members had “worked diligently” to deliver a smaller tha

A former officer with the Police Service of Northern Ireland  (PSNI) has been sentenced for domestic abuse offences relating to inappropriate electronic communications at Londonderry Magistrates’ Court . Kyle Millar, 28, was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, on Friday 13 February. Millar was a serving police officer at the time the offences were committed. Internal investigation and dismissal from PSNI Following the offences, a swift internal i

Audry the spaniel from Dogs Trust Ballymena is seeking her loving forever home A 12-year-old Spaniel crossbreed is searching for a loving forever home this Valentine’s Day at Dogs Trust Ballymena , after being returned to the charity’s care due to a change in circumstances. Audry, described as a “sensational Spaniel” by staff, first came into the care of Dogs Trust Ballymena as a young pup in 2014 and was quickly adopted. After spending 11 years in a loving home, she was ret

Owner of the Bayview Hotel, Trevor Kane is pictured alongside William Munnis, Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club Director and Clerk of Course during the recent Irish Motorbike Awards.  The Armoy Road Races 2026 will take place on Friday 24 July and Saturday 25 July, with the Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club  (AMRRC) confirming the return of longstanding title sponsor the Bayview Hotel for a 17th consecutive year. The announcement signals a major boost for Northern Ireland roa

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice across Northern Ireland, with hazardous travel conditions expected from 8pm on Friday 13 February 2026 until 10am on Saturday 14 February 2026. The warning covers County Antrim, County Down, County Londonderry and County Tyrone , where sub-zero temperatures combined with wintry showers could lead to icy surfaces and difficult driving conditions overnight. Forecasters say wintry showers may fall onto freezing ground du

Buyers and suppliers (L-R) – The judges: Jonathan Mitchell (Our Brewery’s co-founder), Esther Paul, (Business Development Manager at Armagh Cider Company), Chelsea McCullagh (Marketing Manager at Heaney Brewery), Michael Crealey ( Lead Packaged Buying Manager at Tesco NI), Karen O’Neill (Sales Manager at Anzac Drinks/ Farmageddon Brewing Co), Bernard Sloan (Managing Director at Whitewater Brewery) and Peter McKeever (Production Manager at Longmeadow Cider). A Randalstown-base

Mid and East Antrim Deputy Mayor, Councillor Tyler Hoey, pictured with author and illustrator Kelsey Carroll and children who took part in the workshop A new children’s storybook celebrating Ballymena 400 has been officially launched at Mid-Antrim Museum in the Braid, offering young readers an engaging introduction to the town’s history. The launch event took place on Saturday 7 February as part of the Playful Museums Festival, supported by the Northern Ireland Museums Counci

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has reaffirmed his commitment to delivering a 3.3% consolidated pay uplift for NHS staff from 1 April 2026, following the latest recommendation from the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB). The proposed pay rise would apply to all Agenda for Change (AfC) pay points across Health and Social Care (HSC), impacting thousands of frontline staff including nurses, paramedics, healthcare assistants and administrati

The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed the Regional Rate for 2026/27, confirming a 5.0% increase for domestic properties and a 3.0% increase for non-domestic properties. The decision means the domestic regional rate element of the average household bill will rise by 63p per week. The regional rate forms part of the overall rates bill and is used to fund public services across Northern Ireland. The Executive confirmed it has taken the same approach as 2025/26 in setting the

L-R John Megaughin, Managing Director at Clearbox, Chris Selwood, Ballymena United Chairman and Neil Coleman, Client Director at Clearbox Ballymena United, one of the leading clubs in the Sports Direct Premiership, has appointed communications consultancy Clearbox to support the club’s marketing and communications campaigns as it looks to strengthen its brand and increase match ticket sales. The NIFL Premiership club confirmed that Clearbox will lead the development and imple

The scene of the collision in Ballymena on Wednesday evening. Police are appealing for information following a two-vehicle collision in Ballymena on Wednesday, 11 February, which resulted in three people being taken to hospital. The crash occurred at approximately 7pm at the junction of Larne Road Link and St Patrick’s Link Road, involving a black BMW X3 and a red Vauxhall Grandland. Emergency services attended the scene. Emergency services attend Ballymena crash Sergeant Mc

Rhonda Geary, RUAS Group Operations Director and Cormac McKervey, Senior Agriculture Manager, Ulster Bank, kick off the countdown to the 2026 Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank. The pair are joined by county Antrim farmer, John Cross, who received the award for Champion Clydesdale at the 2025 event. The countdown to Balmoral Show 2026 has officially begun, with the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) announcing that Ulster Bank will return as principal sponsor

Antrim-based Kinexc Energy raised more than £10,500 for Community Rescue Service – the company’s Charity of the Year for 2025 Five-figure donation supports suicide prevention and missing persons searches across Northern Ireland Antrim-based gas network operator Kinecx Energy has raised more than £10,500 for Community Rescue Service (CRS), providing a significant boost to the charity’s life-saving operations across Northern Ireland. A series of co-ordinated fundraising events

More than £866,000 has been lost to romance fraud in Northern Ireland in the past 10 months, according to figures released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), as officers issue a warning ahead of Valentine’s Day. The PSNI confirmed that between April 2025 and the start of February this year, around 100 reports of romance fraud were made to police, with total financial losses amounting to £866,700. Around 100 reports made to PSNI Chief Inspector Boyd, from the Po

Inset: Independent Councillor Lawrie Philpott Independent Councillor Lawrie Philpott has explained why he voted against Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s decision to strike the district rate for 2026/27 at a special council meeting, citing concerns over City Deal costs, long-term financial pressures and potential alternative savings for residents. On Monday night at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in The Braid, Ballymena, elected members voted 19 to 17 in

Ann Marshall who sadly died in a road traffic collision in Cookstown . A woman has died following a road traffic collision in the Cookstown area on Wednesday 11 February, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed. The fatal crash occurred on the Moneymore Road and involved a single vehicle. The deceased has been named as Ann Marshall from the Moneymore area. Emergency services attend Moneymore Road crash Detective Inspector Stewart from the PSNI’s Collision

McKillen’s on Church Street, Ballymena launches its closing down sale on Wednesday morning as customers queue up looking for a bargain and taking one last opportunity to visit the much-loved local business Ballymena BID has said it is “deeply saddened” by news regarding McKillen’s of Ballymena, as the long-established Church Street retailer reaches its 100th year at the heart of the town centre. The Business Improvement District has urged the community to support the business

Elected members of the DUP party group on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Party says below-inflation rise safeguards services and delivers long-term investment The DUP has defended its decision to vote in favour of a 2.95% rates increase at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, arguing the move was necessary to protect frontline services while enabling significant long-term investment across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. The DUP party group includes elected members R