Central Radio News

The Leader of Blackpool Council said people who took part in an anti-immigration march at the weekend were not reflective of the many people who live, work and visit the town.

Plans to increase school capacity across Preston have been approved by councillors.

A family festival is being staged in Bispham aimed at bringing members of the community together.

Government plans to slash the number of police forces must not damage the relationship between local communities and the officers who serve them, the man who oversees Lancashire Constabulary has warned.

Residents in Blackpool’s Revoe area are to have their say about plans to demolish hundreds of homes in a controversial £90m regeneration scheme.

A facility in Burnley is set to accept waste from across East Lancashire when the county council's contract for the use of the Whinney Hill landfill site comes to an end in April.

Hyndburn Leisure is inviting contractors to tender for phase two of the redevelopment of Great Harwood’s historic Mercer Hall.

Over the past week further demolition work has taken place in Blackpool as streets are being flattened to make way for the landmark £65 million Multiversity campus.

A man has been jailed after burgling a vets practice in Colne.

Police have launched an investigation after a man in his 80s from Nelson was conned out of £10,000 by a group falsely claiming to be police officers and bank staff.

Lancashire’s Labour MPs have called on Reform UK to guarantee that five care homes whose futures the party appeared to secure this week will not be privatised.

The leader of Chorley Council has defended asking for the borough’s local elections to be called off this year.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Andy MacNae has launched a major constituency-wide road safety campaign.

Blackpool ended their three-match losing streak with a convincing two-nil victory over Northampton Town.

A long-planned overhaul designed to reduce congestion on one of the busiest routes in Central Lancashire has moved a step closer after planning permission was granted for a key element of the scheme.

A new health facility is to open in Blackpool offering vital dialysis treatment to renal patients in a more accessible location.

A new bus lane in Preston city centre will go live next month, with warnings issued to drivers who use it incorrectly to begin with.

Drivers will be fined if they attempt dangerous manoeuvres at four locations across Lancashire, under new powers being rolled out for enforcing moving traffic offences.

The husband of the mother of two who was killed by a falling tree branch in Blackburn’s Witton Park in August has set up a foundation in her memory.

Blackburn with Darwen Council will next week be urged to support tougher rules for the use of social media by under-16s.

There’s some good news for the coastal protection of Anchorsholme – but not such good news for a group of residents in nearby Little Bispham.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man sadly died in a collision in Forton.

A pensioner has died following a collision in Brierfield in December.

A Blackpool man has been found guilty of a string of sexual offences after being caught in a undercover operation three times.

Two men have pleaded guilty to their roles in an incident where a man was stabbed after leaving a Mosque in Accrington shortly after leaving Friday Prayers.

A £9.3 million transformation looks set to be approved to completely modernise St Annes Swimming Pool and get Kirkham Baths reopened.

The future of five Lancashire care homes appears to have been guaranteed after months of uncertainty about whether they would be refurbished or closed.

A controversial East Lancashire nightclub will now remain closed permanently after its owners lost their appeal over the revocation of its premises licence.

Works to remodel the junction of School Road and Common Edge Road are nearing completion.

Blackpool is set to get its first pet crematorium under new plans for Carleton cemetery.

The family of a young man who died following a collision in Grimsargh have paid a heartbreaking tribute to their ‘best boy’.

A man who sexually assaulted two young girls in East Lancashire has been given a 20-year sentence. 

Great Harwood’s historic Mercer Hall in Great Harwood has officially reopened following the completion of a major £500,000 plus upgrade.

A second East Lancashire MP has called on Transdev to think again about local bus fare rises and ticketing changes which came into effect this week.

Hyndburn Council will soon be seeking new market traders and food and drink operators to take space at Accrington’s historic Market Hall when it reopens in November.

A new McDonald’s drive-thru will be built alongside the M6, on the outskirts of Preston, after being given the green light by councillors.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb says worried constituents have been contacting him with concerns over the future of the visitor centre which houses the town’s much-loved heritage trams.

Blackpool residents are gearing up for changes to bin collections.

Work on an eight-month project to build a new four-arm roundabout on a busy road to serve major Blackburn housing developments will start in May.

Train operator Avanti West Coast has made a new bid to bring back an extra weekday London service for Blackpool after controversial cuts to the operation.

A Blackpool firm has been named as the North West’s second fastest-growing technology company, according to a new list – and among the top 100 in the UK.

Lancashire care staff are ready to strike if any of the county’s under-threat homes and day centres are earmarked for closure, a union leader has warned.

A teenager has died following a collision between two cars in Grimsargh on Sunday.

Three men have been seriously injured in a collision between a taxi and a van on the A585 bypass near Windy Harbour in Poulton-le-Fylde.

Fylde residents are being encouraged to beat the January blues with a range of free wellbeing activities this Blue Monday.

Preston’s outdoor market traders will be back under the Victorian canopy from Tuesday.

A man has been charged following a burglary at a Barnoldswick pub where a car and wallet were stolen.

Continued concerns about the safety of a problem roundabout has prompted an MP to arrange a meeting with highway bosses.

Work is set to begin on the long-awaited transformation of Clifton Street in Lytham, with essential tree care marking the first stage of a major town centre investment.

A man from Leyland has been charged following a sexual assault in Blackpool.

A man has been banned from entering ASDA, Tesco and Aldi stores across Lancashire after repeated shoplifting offences.

A teenager has admitted making a hoax call which led to a large scale emergency response in Blackpool, involving police, HM Coastguard, the fire service and ambulance service.

An 89-year-old woman has died following a collision in Leyland last weekend.

East Lancashire’s police licensing sergeant has pledged to crackdown on irresponsible nightclub operators after councillors revoked the certificate for a controversial Burnley venue for the second time.

A Preston sixth form college has unveiled plans for a major extension designed to help deal with a shortage of space and ever-increasing demand for places.

Burnley looks set to submit a bid to become the first ever UK Town of Culture.

Lancashire will take centre stage in one of the world's biggest sporting events, the Tour de France 2027.

Essential traffic signal upgrades at a busy Preston junction will begin next week, with the majority of work taking place overnight to minimise disruption.

Improvements to Colne bus station will get underway next week, marking the first phase of a major scheme to upgrade facilities and improve access for passengers.

A father and son have appeared in the dock after admitting to illegally supplying ketamine in East Lancashire.

The true scale of the forthcoming new multi-million pound Ministry of Defence (MOD) office building in Blackpool can now be seen as the building takes shape.

The future of Blackpool’s Tramtown attraction – home to the town’s world-famous heritage trams – is at serious risk, says a leading councillor.

Lancashire County Council is proposing to increase council tax by 3.8 percent next year – 1.2 percent below the maximum amount permitted by the government.

A man who filmed himself before and after committing burglaries in East Lancashire during which high value cars were stolen has been jailed.

Wallace & Gromit in A Case at the Museum, drew crowds of blockbuster proportions, with 105,177 visitors in its first eight weeks at The Harris in Preston.

The operators of Blackpool’s Holiday Inn ended the arrangements with Marco Pierre White’s restaurant brand because of “restrictions” with the deal, it has emerged.

Chorley has become the first place in Lancashire to declare that it will bid to become the UK’s inaugural Town of Culture.

A rogue roofer from East Lancashire who scammed older residents out of thousands of pounds has been jailed, following a Trading Standards probe.

A paedophile who sexually assaulted a teenage girl after giving her drugs in Rawtenstall, has been handed a lengthy jail sentence.

Preston’s Neighbourhood Policing Team and Prosper Partnership Team have secured a three-month partial closure order at a problem address.

Plans are being made to introduce a much improved yet sympathetic reseating of the top gallery tier at Grade II-listed Blackpool Grand Theatre.

Residents in Fylde are backing calls to end ongoing problems at Lytham Tip.

A man who stabbed a probation officer in Preston, inflicting serious injuries on her, has been given a life sentence.

Lancashire Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after an elderly woman suffered serious injuries in a collision in Leyland.

An East Lancashire local authority has started a new advice drive to help people cope with the rising cost of living.

A controversial plan to turn a historic Pendle village pub into a family home has been put on hold, after a community group made a new bid to reopen it.

A substantial housing development of more than 100 homes is being proposed for a site in Blackpool.

Police officers across Lancashire used a combination of roadside stops and intelligence-led, targeted policing to find and arrest offenders.

After half a century of caring for patients across Lancashire and beyond, Angela Wilson, a Staff Nurse in Outpatients at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, has hung up her uniform - bringing an incredible 50-year nursing career to a close.

Three large dogs found roaming the streets of Preston the day before Halloween have been confirmed as wolf-dogs following DNA testing.

Dave Fishwick, the Burnley businessman behind Netflix’s Bank of Dave, has stepped in to help a local hospice charity after its shop was damaged.

A worker at the DWP’s recently opened £100m Blackpool office which had to be evacuated this week claims the building has had a string of operational issues.

Restoration works are set to begin later this month on the West Wing of Astley Hall.

With construction set to begin in the coming months, residents and businesses have their final opportunity to influence two projects that will reinvent how people experience St Annes town centre.

Accrington looks set to get two new padel courts.

Councillors have vowed that play equipment destroyed in a senseless arson attack in a Fylde coast park will be rebuilt as quickly as possible.

Two men have been arrested after a man died following a collision in Preston.

A couple in Blackpool previously jailed for child cruelty allowed a man who turned out to be a convicted sex offender to babysit two of their children, a review has found.

Children in an East Lancashire borough will soon be able to take advantage of a brand new £15 a month fitness offer.

Nelson-based Barnfield Construction Ltd is to be appointed as main contractor for the multi-million pound Darwen Market Hall and Civic Quarter development project.

The building that houses some of Lancashire’s most precious historical documents needs a new roof.

Transport bosses say a raft of security measures are in place at Preston Bus Station after it was identified as the place in the city that is most feared by women at night.

A well-known Fleetwood GP is to chair a £20m community project to help regenerate the town.

DWP bosses have issued a statement after falling debris from Blackpool’s new £100m civil service office led to a dramatic evacuation.

A teenage boy who stabbed a 15-year-old in the chest during a fight near Moor Park in Preston, has been sentenced to more than three years youth detention.

Burnley Council is being asked to consider proposals for new 3G football pitches at Prairie Sports Village and Burnley High School.

Multi-million pound plans to build a seven-storey block of luxury apartments on Blackpool seafront are anticipated to finally see fruition in 2027.

Plans have been unveiled to launch another padel venue in Preston – which would become the sixth created in the city in the space of just three years. 

Plans have been lodged to build 102 affordable homes on land bordering Poulton and Blackpool.

A free wellbeing and fun day on the Fylde coast is proving so popular it’s now become a much-anticipated annual event.

A new campaign has been launched to encourage residents to make a difference in Blackpool by consider fostering.

Half a dozen regeneration projects are set to be completed or to begin in Preston over the next 12 months.

Plans to build a new large scale M&S food store at Norcross have been given the official green light after a final agreement was reached with developers.

Proposals to turn one of the Fylde coast’s most distinctive buildings into a unique house are still in the pipeline for 2026.

Work on a major railway bridge replacement is set to begin - leading to travel disruption in Lancashire.

A month-long campaign has been launched to help people in Lancashire be better prepared for freezing weather, flooding and power cuts.

People from Lancashire have been recognised in the King's New Year's Honours List for their work across the county.

Hundreds of runners and walkers dressed as elves have raised thousands for mental health at a charity fun run.

The new women and girls' Champion on Lancashire County Council has vowed to push for change.

A public survey has been launched to ask Lancashire residents for their views on the money they pay towards policing.

A man has been arrested after a police drugs raid in Fleetwood.

Lancashire residents can have their names displayed on a North West Air Ambulance helicopter this Christmas as part of a pioneering scheme.

Police in Lancashire have received four new electric bikes to help with patrols across the community.

NHS bosses are planning a major overhaul of orthodontic services in Lancashire in an attempt to reduce waiting times of more than a year in some parts of the county.

Blackpool Council’s Director of Adult Social Services has announced she will step down from the post at the end of this year.

The latest proposals for two rides to operate either side of Blackpool’s South Pier have been refused again.

Families across Fylde can look forward to another unforgettable weekend of wonder as the award-winning St Annes International Kite Festival returns.

A man who drugged and raped his victim in an East Lancashire carpark has been given a 15-year jail sentence.

Blackburn with Darwen Council highways bosses are to look at improving safety on a main road in the borough following major housing developments in the area.

An East Lancashire county councillor has given up the Green Party whip because of ‘an investigation’.

A drunk-driver who crashed his car into a wall in Blackpool on Christmas Day, seriously injuring five passengers, has been jailed.

A criminal network supplying drugs across Lancashire and beyond have been jailed for a total of more than 100 years following a major operation by Lancashire’s Serious and Organised Crime team.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a pedestrian died following a collision with a bin lorry in Freckleton.

Lancashire Police have issued a seasonal shoplifting warning ahead of the busy festive retail period, saying there will be no let-up in their action to tackling theft.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has been given a grant of £2.2million to boost its services to help get addicts and alcoholics of drugs and booze.

A games area on an estate in Preston, which has become so damaged that parts of it are being used as “missiles” by the young people it was designed to benefit, is to be refurbished.

Fylde Council has selected its preferred operator for St Annes swimming pool.

A man has been jailed after stabbing his neighbour in the neck in Colne.

Police are appealing for information and footage after a pedestrian was left seriously injured following a road traffic collision in Nelson.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a cyclist was left seriously injured in a suspected fail-to-stop collision in Preston.

Almost 200 new signs are to be erected in and around Preston railway station in an attempt to reduce the confusion caused by the current mix of “inconsistent” signage relied upon by travellers.

Emergency accommodation for some of Blackburn with Darwen’s most vulnerable homeless people will be retained for the coming two winters.

Lancashire is receiving £24 million in government funding to help provide walking and cycling scheme in the county.

Ambitious proposals to bring one of Poulton’s grandest buildings back into use have got the go ahead.

A man has been jailed for sexually abusing two boys in a caravan in East Lancashire.

Chorley Council has issued an Emergency Prohibition Order on residential flat due to the landlord failing to meet legal housing standards.

Blackpool Council is urging eligible residents to get protected this winter, with free flu vaccinations available, for those eligible, at walk-in clinics across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast. 

Train operator Avanti West Coast has confirmed it is reducing its four daily weekday services to and from Blackpool to two a day from next week.

Cleveleys is to get a big new illuminated ‘welcome’ sign to greet people coming into the town centre.

The boss of a teaching union has told staff striking at a school in Rossendale over the use of a maths teacher based 300 miles away in Devon that they are defending one of the core principles of the profession – the relationship between teacher and pupil.

A joint operation between Lancashire Police and British Transport Police to break down county lines drug dealing in Preston led to several arrests and the seizure of drugs.

Officers from Preston’s Neighbourhood Policing and Prosper Partnership Team have carried out a multi-agency operation to tackle illegal and abandoned vehicles.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a collision in Preston left a man with serious injuries.

A sexual predator who assaulted a woman before going on to try and rape her 12-year-old daughter has been jailed.

Councillors have kicked out plans for a new housing estate on the outskirts of a Preston village – in spite of claims locals backed the development because of the new facilities that would come with it.

Up to 150 people who face being alone on Christmas Day are to be treated to a festive roast dinner – thanks to a big-hearted family and kindly volunteers.

A Preston based holiday firm has received a nomination for two prestigious national awards, just a year after they started trading.

Fylde Council has taken a step towards the revival of Kirkham Baths, approving £150,000 of essential works to safeguard the building and prepare it for reinstatement.

A former French polishers and upholstery business in Carleton could become a new microbar if the scheme gets the go ahead.

Blackpool is doing its bit to support a charity which helps bereaved people – culminating in the iconic Tower turning orange next week.

The Harris has enjoyed a busy time after unveiling its £19m redevelopment project, significantly surpassing visitor targets and receiving overwhelmingly positive public feedback.

More than 1100 knives have been taken off the streets across Lancashire’s East Division as part of Sceptre, a national week-long initiative to tackle knife crime.

The cost of repairing and refurbishing Blackburn’s King George’s Hall has soared by 50 per cent from £9million to £13.5m.

The firm that operated a highly controversial fracking site in Fylde has been told that it cannot have another two years to restore the plot – after it emerged it had not made proper use of a previous extension.

Police say an eight-year-old boy suffered a head injury after a school bus hit a bridge in Coppull.

A man has been convicted of attempting to kill a man in Blackburn earlier this year.

Preston is set to witness a landmark moment in its heritage as the Tram Bridge is lifted into place, following the demolition of the old structure and the reimagining of this historic crossing.

Police in Lancashire are aiming to make sure it’s a bleak winter for criminals with the launch of a new crime crackdown for Christmas and beyond.

More than 700 knives have been taken off the streets across Lancashire’s South Division as part of Operation Sceptre, a national week-long initiative to tackle knife crime.

Plans are in the pipeline to bring a disused former bank in Kirkham back into use.

A housing scheme which would have seen more than 200 homes built in Poulton has been refused by planners.

Lancashire Police are urging motorists not to drink or drug drive throughout the festive season.

A Chorley man died two days after being assaulted by a friend in a pub beer garden in an argument over food they were eating.

Moor Park Primary School is considering ambitions plans to extend its SEND provision and has launched a consultation with a range of groups about the proposals.

Parkwood Leisure has been named as the new operator for Wyre’s leisure centres in Fleetwood, Garstang, Poulton and Thornton, replacing YMCA Fylde Coast from April.

Blackpool’s premium cinema scene is entering a thrilling new era with the launch of The Arc Cinema at the former Backlot Cinema site.

A woman in her 80s has suffered serious injuries in a collision in Preston.

Detectives are appealing for a key witness to come forward after a person was found dead at Preston railway station on Saturday morning.

A man has been found guilty of killing Kirk Marsden in Blackburn.

Preston City Council has become the latest authority in Lancashire to push for the cancellation of next year’s local elections – prompting opposition politicians to cry foul.

The first deliveries of new bins for Blackpool – including brown ones- have arrived as part of the shake-up of waste collections coming in next year.

A man who lured a child to a house in Blackburn before sexually assaulting her has been jailed.

A family have paid an emotional and loving tribute to a ‘truly special’ man who died following a collision on the M65 last week. 

A paedophile has been jailed after sexually assaulting young girls in Burnley.

A man has been given a prison sentence of more than 20 years for raping and sexually assaulting a girl.

Blackpool Council has formally confirmed its proposals to merge with Preston to form a new council.

Pendle Rise shopping centre in Nelson has closed its doors for the last time ahead of demolition, as part of the huge Nelson Town Deal regeneration scheme.

Wyre Council is inviting residents, businesses, and visitors to share their views on exciting plans to rejuvenate Fleetwood’s waterfront.

A man from Merseyside has been jailed after he repeatedly stamped on a gull, killing the animal.

Three men have been jailed for their roles in trafficking large amounts of cannabis throughout the North West.  

A historic Preston property that played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution could be turned into apartments.

A £250,000 project to upgrade an East Lancashire town’s ‘green lung’ and protect it from motorbike riders is now moving on to its second stage aimed at making it more wildlife friendly.

MP Lorraine Beavers has made a renewed call for the restoration of Fleetwood’s rail link.

Campaigners striving to keep the Fleetwood to Knott End ferry have welcomed reports that funding has now been secured until 2029.

Vault Youth Zone, Preston’s new purpose-built facility dedicated to supporting young people, is celebrating hitting a major milestone as it has officially received the keys to its state-of-the-art building.

A burglar who targeted homes in Leyland and threatened to torch a man’s car has been jailed.

Lancashire County Council is encouraging men to take a stand against violence towards women and support this year's White Ribbon Campaign.

International multi-award-winning superstar Michael Bublé is heading to the Lytham Festival in 2026.

An online plea has meant an elderly couple can enjoy one last visit to Blackpool’s famous Tower Ballroom where they used to go dancing.

Two men have been jailed after assaulting a man and stealing his bank cards and phone in Burnley.

A controversial review that has placed a question mark over the futures of five Lancashire care homes will not be cancelled, the politician leading the process has said.

The Proud Preston 2026 Awards has been launched, celebrating the city's unsung heroes and organisations.

The driver an £100k supercar which was engulfed in a fireball after crashing into a house in St Annes has been jailed.

A paedophile has been jailed after raping  a 12-year-old girl in a car park in Penwortham.

Three members of a drugs gang involved in the trafficking of heroin and crack cocaine into Lancashire from Merseyside, have been jailed.

Proposals to demolish two hotels and replace them with 51 modern apartments on Blackpool’s South Shore promenade have finally been approved by planners.

Accrington Stanley supporters will have several opportunities to meet players from Accrington Stanley and Accrington Stanley Women as part of the Christmas Lights Switch On.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has been served with an ‘improvement notice’ by the Heath and Safety Executive over the death of a mother-of-two hit by a falling tree branch in one of its municipal parks in August.

A council boss has promised his authority is working to resolve its row with a football club over noise from its function suites as residents express concern over lack of action.

Protesters against a stinking landfill site say the waste deposits are getting steadily higher and have called on the site to be either suspended or closed for good.