Central Radio News

Police have charged two men following burglaries in Roughlee, Clitheroe and Nelson.

Blackpool will travel to the Peninsula Stadium to take on Salford City during pre-season. 

Drivers in Accrington are being warned of disruption later this month.

One person was treated for minor injuries after a crash in Accrington.

Plans have been unveiled to build a block of flats alongside the depot where Preston Bus is based.

A new building is planned for Blackpool and The Fylde College to accommodate the high number of students enrolling on its construction course.

The leader of Lancashire County Council says the search for savings within the authority is designed to enable money to be reinvested in the “frontline services” on which people rely.

Prayers have been held at a Hindu temple in Preston to remember those who lost their lives in the Air India crash this week.

A new initiative aimed at empowering talented young athletes in Fylde has been launched.

A number of well-known local figures have been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours list.

Nigel Farage has told the new Reform UK administration at Lancashire County Council that how they perform will play a part in how well the party does at the next general election in 2029.

Police have charged two men as part of an ongoing investigation into the death of a baby boy in Blackpool.

The scaffolding is back up on Little Marton Mill, ready for the next round of work to begin.

Lancashire Constabulary is set to benefit from an additional 53 Police Officers, as well as 30 new Police Community Support Officers and 20 Special Constables, thanks to extra Home Office funding.

A rogue trader who scammed elderly and vulnerable residents out of more than £500,000 has been hit with further sanctions to prevent him preying on more victims in the future.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb says he is helping inform pensioners of their entitlements in the wake of the Winter Fuel Allowance U-turn by the Government.

A review is currently underway into the effectiveness of a multi-million pound bypass hailed as the answer to chronic congestion, a road campaigner has been told.

A new indoor sports centre in Preston will be based around padel and five-a-side football, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

Raids by police and trading standards officers aided a detection dog on four Blackburn businesses have seized more than £50,000 worth of illegal cigarettes and vapes.

King Charles has visited Lancaster Castle, his first engagement in Lancashire since he became Monarch.

Almost £12 million will be spent by the council on improving the infrastructure of Blackburn with Darwen for all highway users.

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Police are investigating an alleged incident of indecent exposure in Accrington.

North West Ambulance Service has been handed nearly £8 million to upgrade its ambulance fleet.

Blackpool will host Championship side West Bromwich Albion as part of their pre-season preparations.  

There was a large turnout for Blackpool Pride yesterday (Saturday).

A man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a baby by dangerous driving.

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Blackpool Council says it's a new era for the resort as it takes over Blackpool Tower from August.

Large crowds are expected for Blackpool Pride today.

An East Lancashire MP is to fit CCTV cameras to his constituency office to improve security for himself and his staff.

Rossendale Police, in collaboration with partner agencies, conducted another successful day of action on Tuesday 3rd June to address concerns raised by the local community.

A thunderstorm warning has seen Preston's Jazzin’ the Park 2025 move indoors today.

People in Preston aged 55 to 74 who have ever smoked and are registered with a participating GP practice, will soon be invited for potentially life-saving lung cancer screening.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has urged the Government to go further in its new free school meals initiative – by expanding the offer to ALL children.

A man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a baby by dangerous driving.

A burglar who targeted homes in Preston, including that of a pensioner in his 90s, has been jailed.

The resort’s most famous landmark, the Blackpool Tower, will be managed by the council’s wholly-owned tourism company, Blackpool Tourism Limited, from later this year, it’s been announced.

A new housing development on the outskirts of Preston is set to include a school and care home – if it gets the go-ahead.

Blackpool’s bus service is a shining example of how a council-run amenity can be run in the right way, a Government minister said after visiting the resort.

Lancashire County Council is next on the list to get a visit from a Reform UK team that has modelled itself on Elon Musk’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the United States.

Proposals to set up a new banking hub in Garstang have now reached the planning stage, with an application lodged with Wyre Council.

More attractions have been announced for next month’s Blackburn’s National Festival of Making including TV architect George Clarke.

Plans for a new estate in Leyland have been kicked out by councillors amid concerns that they would pose a danger to children walking to and from school.

Harry Maguire was the winner of last night's Britain's Got Talent Final.

Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings starred again as he hit 95 in his team's 47-run victory against Nottinghamshire in cricket's T20 Blast.

Police are searching for 15-year-old boy wanted in connection with breaching a court order.

Blackpool’s Town Hall saw nine schools from Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde come together to debate in the Blackpool Sixth Peace and Conflict school competition.

A cat that was found unconscious in a burning building has made a full recovery.

The boss of Preston Bus is calling for urgent safety improvements on the M6.

Blackpool has been named the UK’s number one seaside staycation destination, according to a new study. 

The sixth form department at a Preston school is set to close – because not enough pupils are choosing to study there.

Police have charged a man following an investigation into historical sexual abuse.

A Preston man who raped and sexually assaulted a woman has been jailed.

A former Blackpool man who tried to blame an imaginary twin, who didn't exist, for his sexual offences, has been jailed.

King Charles will make an official visit to Lancaster next month, his first trip to Lancashire since becoming monarch, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Chorley Police have teamed up with Lancashire Trading Standards and young volunteers from across the area to conduct an under-age sales operation as part of Operation Sceptre – a national, intensive week of action to tackle knife crime. 

A Blackburn man has been given a 14-year sentence for robbing women in Blackburn.

Community and voluntary groups in Preston have been told they will not be left in limbo after it emerged government cash earmarked for local projects will take longer to come through than first expected.

Residents fighting to protect a precious greenspace in front of their homes will make their case at a key council meeting next week.

Hospital bosses have moved to reassure cancer patients in Lancashire that they will get the same standard of radiotherapy treatment – regardless of whether or not it is delivered by a new state-of-the-art machine coming to the county.

The opening night of the Lytham Festival has been cancelled after it was revealed the lead singer of Kings of Leon has suffered a serious foot injury.

Preston City Council has announced Asian inspired Japanese restaurant, Wagamama is to open at its newly launched £45million Animate leisure scheme.

Blackpool Council now has the green light to use compulsory purchase powers for its plans to tackle poor housing after a key decision was taken by the authority’s executive committee.

A veteran Blackpool taxi driver says more could be done to keep out of town Uber drivers out of town and protect home-grown operators.

Some big star names, a modern screening of a world famous silent film and the creation of a new mural – it’s all happening at Fleetwood’s Marine Hall this year as the iconic venue celebrates its 90th anniversary.

A man has been jailed after a three-year-old girl from Burnley was killed when she was hit by a van in Manchester city centre.

A Leyland man has admitted kidnapping and raping a woman at knifepoint.

Blackburn with Darwen Council are looking for as many people as possible to share their views on the future of the iconic Corporation Park conservatory. 

TV royalty Ant and Dec’s wax figures have returned to Madame Tussauds Blackpool after a transformation.

Preston “desperately needs” more of the top quality office space that could attract government departments to the city, according to a local business group.

A remarkable piece of Blackpool’s transport heritage has been discovered on the edge of Blackpool’s Grade II listed Stanley Park.

The days of notepads and pens are a thing of the past for Lancashire’s police officers – these days they have an array of state-of the technology at their disposal to make to make evidence gathering quicker and more accurate.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a car was deliberately driven into a house in Great Harwood.

Police have renewed appeals for help as they investigate the circumstances which led to the death of a man found unresponsive in Little Plumpton.

The operators of the Fleetwood landfill site at the centre of thousands of complaints over stinking emissions say the site is playing ‘only a small role’ in the overall odour profile of the area.

A Nelson man has been jailed after raping and sexually assaulting two teenagers.

A burglar who targeted a home in Preston has been jailed.

Hyndburn Police were out again this week, continuing with Operation Rally, a dedicated day of intensified action to tackle the top concerns raised by local residents, visitors and businesses in the area.

The family of a teenage boy who died after getting into difficulty on the River Wyre in Garstang have paid a loving tribute to him.

The county council's new leader and cabinet have been announced at its full council meeting.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a cyclist suffered serious injuries following a collision in Barnoldswick.

Officers from the Blackburn with Darwen Neighbourhood Team were joined by Trading Standards this week to conduct an underage sales operation.

A man has been jailed for five years after killing a football fan in Blackpool.

A man has been jailed for life after murdering his friend in his Blackpool home, before stealing his property.

A man has today been found guilty of murder, after stabbing a man to death in Blackpool, before stealing items from his home.

A new date has been set for the start of demolition work on three tower blocks on the outskirts of Preston city centre.

People in Blackpool affected by addiction can now get help at a safe and dedicated space offering holistic support.

Ambitious plans to revitalise Fleetwood are still in the pipeline despite missing out on a vital share of £1.5 billion of Government funding.

A pensioner has died following a collision in Burnley earlier this month.

Construction has begun on a new office building for Ministry of Defence civil servants as part of Blackpool’s Talbot Gateway redevelopment.

A Burnley fan has been given a five-year banning order after invading the pitch.

Asian-inspired restaurant chain Wagamama is set to open an outlet in Preston’s Animate cinema and leisure complex, it has emerged.

Police are investigating an assault which left a man with serious injuries over the weekend.

A teenager has died after getting into difficulty in the river near Garstang.

A former Blackpool woman has co-produced a documentary film which charts the rise of the resort’s drag and LGBTQ+ scene and it is to be screened in the town next month.

A registered sex offender has been sent to prison for possession of a 'paedophile manual' and breaching notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act.

A leading Blackpool hotelier says problems with the over supply of holiday bed spaces in the town is being made worse by the council’s promotion of big new hotel brands in the town.

The owner of a farm which her family have worked on for over a century has blasted the council, claiming they are trying to ‘persuade’ her to sell up her land to make way for a huge development.

The famous heritage trams will return to Blackpool promenade this autumn.

A man has been jailed after killing a woman in a fatal collision in Nelson last year.

Rossendale Police, in collaboration with partner agencies, conducted a successful day of action this week to address concerns raised by the local community.

A number of beaches around Blackpool and the Fylde coast have been recognised for their quality with national awards.

Lancashire Police have provided an update on the moorland fire in the Rivington area earlier this week.

Police are appealing for your help following a fatal collision in Blackburn yesterday afternoon.

A Preston shop, trading under the name of PR1 Euro Mini Market, on Church Street, has been banned from selling any tobacco or vaping products for 12 months.

East Lancashire men who volunteered to fight fascism in the 1930s Spanish Civil War have been honoured in a new memorial in Burnley.

A transport advisor on disability issues has raised concerns after hearing that services to London from Blackpool are to be reduced to just one train a day by operator Avanti.

Blackpool Council is looking to press ahead with proposals to use compulsory purchase powers ‘as a last resort’ in its efforts to tackle poor housing and deprivation in the resort.

Blackpool Neighbourhood Police and Task Force teams joined forces with partners to crack down on crime in Blackpool town centre.

Police are appealing for information after a collision in Blackburn left a man with serious injuries.

The next leader of Lancashire County Council is set to be Cllr Stephen Atkinson.

The chief executive of a cash strapped East Lancashire football club which last week closed its academy for aspiring young players has said its financial position is ‘grim’.

A care worker from Hyndburn has been jailed for sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman.

A number of roads had to be closed in Blackpool, after a man escaped from police and climbed onto the roof of a building in the town centre.

A woman has been charged with attempting to abduct a baby in Blackpool town centre.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man was seriously injured in a collision in Blackburn.

The redevelopment of Colne Market Hall, which could include a new food hall, bar, arts and crafts, is progressing well, Pendle councillors are being told.

A free shuttle bus that ferries staff between the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble hospitals is to be scrapped as part of a cost-cutting drive.

Lancashire Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a man was seriously injured in a collision in Preston.

There have been cross-party calls for Reform UK to throw out one of their new Lancashire county councillors after he posted a picture of Hitler on his Facebook page.

A £1.5million expansion to Blackburn’s thriving Making Rooms creative and technology hub can now begin after it was given planning approval.

Police have arrested 15 people during an operation to tackle the illegal supply of ketamine in Burnley and Padiham.

The defeat suffered by the Conservatives in last week’s Lancashire County Council elections was more a reflection of the national political mood than the result of discontent with local services, according to the new leader of the Tory group on the authority.

Accrington Stanley have announced the sudden closure of their Academy, due to current financial pressures the club faces.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a fatal collision in Blackburn earlier this year.

A man has been found guilty of killing a football fan in Blackpool. 

Thursday 8 May 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day – the historic date in 1945 when World War II ended in Europe.

Blackpool is preparing a series of events as the town joins the rest of the nation to celebrate the anniversary of VE Day next week.

Preston City Council will proudly mark both VE Day and VJ Day in 2025 with a series of commemorative events in the city centre, following requests from local veterans and community members.

The third stage of a scheme to replace traffic lights at key junctions in Preston is set to begin over the weekend.

The Reform UK group that now controls Lancashire County Council will elect a leader this Saturday, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

A pensioner has died following a collision in Lytham over the weekend.

Two of Reform UK’s victorious candidates in the Lancashire County Council elections have admitted to being shocked to find themselves as part of the group that will now take charge of the authority.

A man has been jailed after approaching schoolgirls and making sexualised comments in Blackpool, in 2023.

A man has been jailed for life following the rape of a woman in Burnley.

Reform UK is set to take control of Lancashire County Council following the local elections.

A tribute has been paid to a man who ‘had his whole life ahead of him’, who died in a collision in St Annes last week.

A derelict building in Preston city centre is to be demolished.

Police have charged two people following a string of shop thefts in Rawtenstall.

Three burglars who targeted homes across Chorley have been jailed for a total of 10 years.

A man who mowed down and seriously injured a pedestrian on Blackpool prom has been jailed.

Two people have been charged as part of an ongoing investigation into a collision in Bamber Bridge which left a baby boy dead and his mother seriously injured.

On Friday, the historic setting of Lancaster Castle will host a prestigious Honours ceremony.

Work has officially commenced on the Serpentine Lake at Moor Park.

Burnley Football Club will mark their return to the Premier League during a civic celebration next week.

Details have been revealed of the £6.8million new relief road key to one of East Lancashire’s biggest ever housing developments which will come with its own orchard.

Two arrests have been made following a drugs raid on a property in Fleetwood.

A man has been jailed for engaging in sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice.

Lancashire Police are looking to trace the family and friends of a man who was very sadly found dead in Preston last week.

Bosses at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens say the performance of the Only Fools & Horses musical will continue after the opening night was abandoned following a medical incident.

The ground floor of the prominent and distinctive Blackburn apartment complex dubbed ‘Margo Towers’ is now to become a church.

Planners have run the rule over proposals to demolish three old dockside buildings in Fleetwood – but the possibility of roosting bats have had to be taken into consideration.

A former social club in Preston is to be turned into a snooker hall after planners ruled the sport was sufficiently quiet for the residential street where it will now be played.

Police are investigating following the discovery of a large cannabis grow in Preston.

The renovation of Stanley Buildings in Blackpool town centre is nearing completion, transforming previously disused space into a contemporary business centre to be named ‘The Robinson’.

Work to enhance the ecological health of Liggard Brook in Lytham will commence next week.

A 17-year-old was arrested after a 135mph pursuit along the M6 and M65.

Rossendale Police, alongside partner agencies, were out this week, where they conducted a successful day of action to address pressing community concerns.

A man has been jailed for assaulting a woman in Blackpool. 

A service will be held in Blackburn next month to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man died following a collision in Lytham last night.

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack that destroyed a derelict church building in Thornton.

One of Preston’s favourite live music venues, 53 Degrees, is set to make a triumphant return in August after nearly a decade of closure.

Government inspectors who three years ago downgraded Blackburn with Darwen Council’s children’s services department to ‘requires improvement’ have restored it to a ‘good’ rating.

A 44-year-old man who groomed a schoolgirl on Snapchat before drugging and then engaging her in sexual activity has been jailed for 17 years. 

To help residents make informed choices when getting a tattoo, Blackpool Council introduced their Tattoo Hygiene Rating Scheme.  

Preston’s famous hot potato tram could be in line for its biggest facelift in the 70 years since it was established, as its current social media-star operators plan a huge overhaul.

Police attended incident at Rivington this morning after suspected grenades were discovered.

A Chorley man who saved a stranger’s life by donating stem cells, and is calling on others to sign up to do the same.

Nelson could potentially have new town centre murals, plaques, a history trail or even a statue highlighting its heritage and people, in small art or community projects linked to the £25million Nelson Town Deal.

Proposals have been revealed to install two new fairground rides on Blackpool Promenade.

More than £4m of funding is set to be spent on improving bus services in Blackpool including upgrading shelters.

Emergency accommodation for some of Blackburn with Darwen’s most vulnerable homeless people will be retained for next winter and town hall bosses will now look at a longer term provision.

Blackpool businesses can continue to receive free support thanks to an extension of existing funding.  

A new town centre car park has been branded a ‘tarmac desert’ by a councillor who had called for the space to be transformed into a green space instead.

Town hall officials are monitoring a plot of land in Darwen after fears were raised it is being developed for an unauthorised travellers’ camp.

Half of a Blackburn town centre car park is to be shut for the duration of the £9million renovation of King George’s Hall.

A man has been jailed for seven years for raping a woman in Darwen.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has been given another £2.786million of government Levelling Up grants.

Work has begun to build a new passenger handling terminal at Blackpool Airport as the Squires Gate hub continues with its expansion plans.

A motorcycle rider has died following a collision in Chorley.

A 54-year-old man has been jailed for 27 years for the attempted murder of a British Transport Police (BTP) Special Constable.

Preston’s Neighbourhood Policing Team have been out and about over the last few days tackling issues raised by the local community.

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, the Chorley Flower Show will return from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 July.

Police are appealing for information after a man was stabbed in Accrington.

A new Community Beach Hub has opened on St Annes Beach.

Cricket is to make a return to Preston’s Moor Park later this summer – a year after vandals stopped play.

A podcast lifting the lid on life in Preston and named after a Lancashire delicacy is up for two national awards.

A sexual predator from Blackburn has been jailed after more than a decade of abuse.

Burnley’s James Anderson, England cricket’s record Test wicket taker, is to be given a knighthood for services to the sport.

Residents in Thornton are being asked to have their say about how to improve a public open space.

There were angry exchanges at a Wyre Council’s full council meeting last night as emotions ran high during a discussion over the noxious, stinking landfill site which has been plaguing communities for over a year.

Police are asking for help after a man in his 70s was assaulted while walking his dog in Penwortham this week.

A man has been found guilty of sexual offences against children in Rawtenstall.

Protesters against the Fleetwood landfill site at the centre of noxious emissions across the area are to hold another demonstration – in the chamber of Wyre Council.

Accrington and Rossendale College has been awarded a £1.5million grant to invest in upgrading its college buildings.

The £13million Covid-delayed second stage of a major Blackburn housing development is now back on the starting grid.

Residents are being urged to make a pledge not to drop litter as Blackpool bids to keep its streets clean this summer.

Plans to demolish dilapidated old fish-processing buildings on Fleetwood Docks will first have to wait to see if bats are present.

Five East Lancashire Household Waste Recycling Centres will this week be open as normal after closing over the weekend following unprecedented weekend demand during the recent good weather.

Ambitious plans to bring one of Poulton’s most distinctive buildings back to life have now been lodged with planners at Wyre.