Central Radio News

The Colne Gala returns next weekend.

Vandals have forced a public toilet at Blackpool’s Stanley Park to close after mindlessly trashing the facilities.

Blackpool Council has vowed to complete a new housing development of 51 homes in Bispham despite being left £9.5m in debt after the developer went into administration.

The first council house tenants in Preston for more than two decades could be moving into their new homes by the start of next year, the city’s leader has said.

A £40,000 grant is to be made available by Wyre Council to help set up a training facility at Thornton to tackle a worrying skills gap in the area.

Utility firms and contractors responsible for over-running, disruptive work on roads should be charged £2,500 a day using new powers, say Pendle councillors.

A bid to build a 95-home estate in the Preston countryside, which had twice been rejected by councillors, has now also been thrown out by a government planning inspector.

A Leyland man has been ordered to pay compensation after pleading guilty to an animal cruelty offence that left a pet cat with serious injuries.

One of the largest parks in Lancashire has been given the green light for a major £250,000 facelift that will benefit the half a million people who visit it every year.

Network Rail is objecting to plans to build a new housing estate near a level crossing.

Twenty-two nuisance vehicles, including illegal e-bikes and e-scooters, have been seized in Preston as part of a day of action targeting anti-social behaviour.

A stark warning of the potential dangers of illegal squishy, sensory toys has been issued by  Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards after 200 toys were removed from sale in a fortnight.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man was seriously injured in a collision near Colne over the weekend.

A shop owner has been jailed after Trading Standards officers uncovered an illegal tobacco and vape operation in St Annes.

Plans are being drawn up to ensure blood tests continue to be processed for patients across East Lancashire after 20 days of strike action were announced at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals.

Colne is preparing to welcome an extraordinary line-up of world-class cycling talent this month as the Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix returns next week.

Fylde Council is bringing its food waste team directly to communities across the borough this summer, ahead of the service launching in the autumn.

Proposals to reinstate and revitalise the largest park in Cleveleys as an active, nature-rich and multi-generational space are now being shared with the community for feedback. 

The 140-year-old building that used to house the White Bull Hotel in Blackburn town centre is set to become a development of 24 single-bed flats.

A Blackpool councillor has called for urgent answers after safety concerns over the resort’s famous trams were raised by a transport watchdog.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an elderly woman was found dead at an address in Thornton Cleveleys.

Anti-fracking campaigners have reacted with delight after the firm that operated a controversial drilling site in Fylde was given six months to restore it to the farmland that it used to be.

Months of delays and disruption for Blackburn motorists from a major road upgrade will start in just a few weeks’ time.

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An exciting new project is being proposed for Blackpool town centre, aimed at transforming a once-derelict building into a vibrant art gallery and bar.

People in a Lancashire town have blasted changes to roads and car parking which they say are hitting businesses and residents, threatening jobs and creating hazards.

A man’s been injured in a crash on a busy road in Preston.

People living in Great Harwood have called on County Hall to put an end to a problem that is causing traffic delays and safety concerns for residents.

A mum from Blackburn’s efforts to support the families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has been recognised with a national award.

Traders in Blackpool town centre have put out an SOS over problems they are encountering due to an apparent increase in groups of beggars .

Wyre Council is moving into the next phase of improvements at Marine Hall in Fleetwood, with plans to invest £1.3 million to bring a key part of the venue back into use.

A man from Nelson has been jailed after drugs were found at his home during two raids by police. 

Two men who carried out knife point raids at four shops in Preston and Chorley, have both been jailed for 11 years.

Community organisations across Wyre could soon benefit from a £1 million funding programme designed to transform local spaces and create lasting impact for residents, following approval by Wyre Council’s Cabinet.

Ambitious proposals to create new apartments in one of Blackpool’s most iconic buildings have been give the green light by planners.

Proposals for two rides to be sited at Blackpool’s South Pier are set for a public inquiry hearing after the scheme was rejected on two occasions by resort planners.

It is a name that has endured for almost two centuries – even when changed circumstances meant it no longer made much sense.

Residents in the Revoe area of Blackpool have three more drop-in sessions planned to discuss a controversial regeneration scheme which includes demolition of their homes.

The Utilita Energy Hub Blackburn has been formally recognised for its exceptional contribution to the local community, receiving a Certificate of Recognition as part of Volunteers’ Week 2026.

A 13-year-old and 15-year-old have been arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire which destroyed the former M&S store in Fleetwood on Wednesday night.

Residents in Poulton-le-Fylde are benefiting from improved road conditions following the completion of a full resurfacing scheme on Curzon Road.

The football pitches on Preston’s Moor Park are getting an upgrade – thanks to silt removed from the lake on the site.

Three towering blocks of residential flats that have been a feature of Blackburn’s skyline for the past 60 years are in line for some major safety upgrades.

A man in his 60s has died following a collision between a bicycle and a car in Chorley.

Major building works are finally underway to repair and restore the missing ‘heartbeat’ of Oswaldtwistle, three years after its primary cultural venue was forced to shut its doors.

Residents at risk of developing cavities and the other painful consequences of poor dental hygiene may receive ‘targeted’ support, after Blackburn with Darwen Council approved fresh funding for a successful service.

The boss of a long-established Indian restaurant in Blackpool says tough rules on immigrants being allowed to work are forcing decent eateries to close.

National concern about the rising number of young people who are NEET – Not in Employment, Education or Training – are being shared in Blackpool.

A firm that supplies building security services to Lancashire County Council claims the local authority is repeatedly late paying its bills – and that some invoices have been outstanding for more than two years.

A veteran Blackpool councillor is believed to be the longest serving elected member currently serving on a council in the UK.

Hundreds of suspected fake perfume bottles and scores of suspected illicit Apple and Samsung products have been uncovered by Trading Standards at a car boot sale in Wyre.

Volunteers from across Blackburn with Darwen will be celebrated this week with a special event to recognise their contributions to our communities.

Work to expand a primary school in suburban Preston has been completed – and the headteacher hopes the new facilities will “inspire” her pupils.

Fylde is set to take centre stage in celebrating the very best green spaces across England.

The group that campaigned for Preston’s ‘Old Tram Bridge’ to be replaced claims it was “cut out” of the most important parts of the ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new structure.

A derelict property posing health problems to its neighbours in central Blackpool has been brought back into use thanks to council action.

The 21st-century revamp of Preston’s famous row of red phone boxes has moved a step closer after the digital screens that are set to transform them cleared a key planning hurdle.

A road traffic accident on Norcross roundabout – for many years labelled ‘dangerous – has reignited discussions on whether recent improvements have made it safer.

A Chorley councillor has called for people taking safety risks at a reservoir in the borough to be removed from the site by the water company that operates it.

Three people have been arrested following a protest and counter-protest in Blackpool yesterday.

A man has been jailed for attempting to break into cars and steal from them following an investigation by officers of the Ribble Valley Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Two children and an adult have been rescued after being cut off by the tide at Blackpool South Pier.

People from across the town of Colne have come together to create the largest ‘micro wood’ in the county.

Photographs, keepsakes and personal stories from South Shore’s past are being shared to celebrate “a place full of character and community spirit”.

The family of a little girl who died after a collision between two cars in the Ribble Valley have paid a heartbreaking tribute to her.

Blackpool’s Neighbourhood Policing Team and British Transport Police’ County Lines Task Force have undertaken a joint day of action, with the aim of targeting drug supply in the town. 

Police have issued a warning that any disorder or crime committed during a protest march in Blackpool this weekend will not be tolerated.

The eleven award-winning green spaces across Hyndburn borough may soon reach a round dozen, following a major cash injection from the council.

The Clarets may have had a rough year in, and now out of, the Premier League, but relegation is not the only change coming for Burnley FC fans.

Eight stretches of road in Blackburn and Darwen are to be resurfaced over the next five weeks.

Much-loved author and poet Michael Rosen is set to headline Blackburn with Darwen’s Children’s and Young People’s Literature Festival in June.

Lancashire residents will get the chance to be at the heart of the Tour de France when it races through the county next year.

Blackpool Council has responded to claims made by Reform UK’s lead councillor over plans to house migrants locally whilst also refuting stats on the number of asylum seekers in the town.

Traders say they are relieved that controversial street works are complete and hope their high street can now ‘come back to life.’

Police are appealing for information and footage after a child was seriously injured in a collision in Bacup.

Plans to create a gleaming new play space at Anchorsholme Park are moving forward after vandals wrecked the play area in a mindless attack last year.

The Dude Perfect International Youth Cup is returning to Burnley Training Centre this weekend, with 20 teams from across the globe descending on Lancashire.

The family of a teenager who died after getting into difficulty in the River Ribble have paid a heartbreaking tribute to him.

An £8.6m pot of grant funding has been secured from Homes England to facilitate major redevelopment of the former Park Hotel in Preston city centre.

A new message on the door of a popular pub-restaurant which is facing the axe has still left punters with questions.

A five-year-old girl has died in hospital following a serious collision on the A59 at Gisburn last week.

A man has appeared in court following a rooftop standoff with police in Chorley over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Ten members of a drugs gang involved in the distribution and supply of cocaine in East Lancashire, have been given prison sentences totalling more than 52 years.

A nationwide furniture retailer is set to open its first store in Preston, planning documents have revealed.

Teenage ‘test purchasers’ were able to buy knives from one in four shops during undercover operations across Lancashire.

A man has been jailed after losing control of his car and crashing through a central reservation during a high speed police chase in Preston.

Lancashire County Council has announced it will spend an extra £5m on road maintenance over the next 12 months.

Calls have been made for an empty pub and restaurant in Bispham – which closed last year – to be taken on by a successful pub chain.

A man was left seriously injured following a road traffic collision in Darwen over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Three boys have been arrested after a fire at an unfinished property in Preston.

Fylde Police and Lancashire County Council Trading Standards have carried out a recent test purchasing operation, targeting the sale of knives and other bladed items to underage buyers.

Blackpool Council adds further 24 residential roads to its resurfacing programme, including Devonshire Road - with 15 roads set to be completed before the summer holidays.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging people to enjoy the half term break safely, as warm and dry spring weather is forecast across the county.

Worried residents living close to an area of Thornton polluted by ‘forever chemicals’ raised fears about health and property prices during a busy public meeting.

Hundreds sought out the best viewpoint and lined the banks of Avenham Park to witness the reopening of Preston’s Tram Bridge as the Mayor of Preston cut the ribbon to reopen the much-loved landmark.

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

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after four people – including two young children – were seriously injured in a collision in Gisburn.

Blackpool Council is submitting a government bid for £30m to fix the colonnades.

Preston City Council will be run by a minority Labour administration after the authority’s leader was re-elected to his post.

Wildlife, residents and the wider environment are set to benefit from a programme of exciting improvement works along Liggard Brook.

Dates have now been confirmed for this year’s spectacular World Fireworks Championship Blackpool, one of the resort’s most iconic autumn events.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man died following a road traffic collision between a motorbike and car in Accrington.

A bus route that stopped operating in Preston seven years ago will be able to run again once a range of Traffic Regulation Orders are introduced.

A gang boss from Blackburn who named his drug line after his Staffordshire bull terrier ‘Pablo’ has been jailed.

The Labour leader of Preston City Council will be challenged for his job at a meeting on Thursday that will determine how the authority operates in the wake of this month’s local election results.

A popular bus service that’s helped thousands of visitors make the most of holidays on the Fylde coast is set to return ahead of the summer season.

Construction has now started on the new Multiversity campus, with representatives from all key stakeholders joining together on site to mark another major milestone in the transformation of the town centre.

A man who shouted racist abuse at a mother and daughter as they walked their dog in Warton has been sentenced.

Burnley has celebrated a proud new chapter in its civic history as the town formally marked its affiliation with HMS Active, the Royal Navy’s second Type 31 Inspiration Class frigate.

The opening date for Blackpool’s newest attraction has been confirmed.

A meeting for residents of Thornton who are concerned about chemical pollution close to their homes is being staged tomorrow.

Blackpool Council and residents have hit back after the town was labelled Britain’s violent crime capital, where “one in 20 people” have been affected in the past year alone.

A business in Nelson has been charged with seven food hygiene offences and fined a total almost £20,000.

Plans have launched for new sea defence measures for north Blackpool and Bispham. 

An ambitious digital-led technology and data campus project expected to bring thousands of jobs to Blackpool has taken another huge step forward.

The problems that have beset bin collections in Preston in recent weeks are partly due to a delay in the delivery of the new vehicles needed to pick up food waste, the leader of the city council has said.

Chorley Council has been successful in securing an additional £1 million of funding to ensure Brinscall Pool stays fit for the future, enabling work to take place to improve the efficiency of the 100-year-old building.

The world-famous Red Arrows will not be taking part in this year’s Blackpool Air Show, it has been confirmed.

Blackpool's Neighbourhood Policing Team conducted joint patrols with partners to address anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the town Centre.

The parents of Luke Harden have today spoken of the heartbreak of losing their son as his murderer was jailed for life.

A bar in Blackpool has been closed down following a serious assault last month.

A former high school teacher from Chorley who took more than a million upskirt images of pupils using secret cameras hidden in pens.

Darwen Live – the UK’s biggest free music festival – is just one week away, with a huge line-up spanning three stages and more than 20 venues across the town centre.

Ambitious proposals to extensively revamp Fleetwood’s Marine Hall – including the provision of a new café and outdoor seating – have now been lodged with Wyre planners.

Preston’s colourful calendar of community events will soon receive a further investment boost, as an uplift in funding has been confirmed.

Blackpool Pride Festival will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a landmark three-day event and a two-day street party when it returns next month.

Lancashire County Council is asking people to have their say on plans to create 220 extra SEND places in the county.

Blackpool Council has appointed Martin Lawton as its new Director of Adult Services.

A roundabout on the Fylde coast where a car recently smashed into the garden wall of a school has been called ‘a fatal accident waiting to happen’.

A man has been found guilty of murdering Luke Harden in the Stacksteads area of Rossendale.

Works are now underway to deliver major improvements at two of Preston’s much‑loved parks, Moor Park and Waverley Park, following approval for multimillion‑pound investment last year.

Residents who are against plans to build 99 new homes on fields in Carleton are planning a demonstration this weekend.

Matthew Brown is set to remain the leader of Preston City Council after the Labour group on the authority backed him to stay in the post.

Preston’s new Tram Bridge will officially open to the public on Friday 22 May, with a grand opening ceremony and a week-long community programme to celebrate.

A controversial bid to build up to 1,300 homes on farmland in South Ribble has been kicked out by councillors – with one of them condemning the planned development as “an absolute crime”.

A married couple who are both councillors will be taking up their chains of office as the mayor and mayoress of Blackpool this week.

Preparatory work got under way this week for a project to improve the area around Countess Street in Accrington.

Three people have been sentenced for committing contempt of court by discussing evidence whilst a defendant was part-heard during a manslaughter trial.

A rogue roofer who scammed an 82 year old Preston householder out of thousands of pounds has been given a five-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.

A man has been charged with making a bomb threat and sending threatening communication in Preston.

It’s Foster Care Fortnight, the UK’s largest campaign to raise awareness of the positive impact of fostering.

Blackburn’s landmark Exchange building is preparing to unveil the completion of the £1.5million redevelopment of its iconic octagonal tower on the weekend of May 30 and 31.

Labour has lost its sole grip on power at Preston City Council after the authority slipped into no overall control following the local elections.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s leader has called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to resign after the Labour Party lost control of the authority in Thursday’s local elections.

A thug who attempted to kill a man and then boasted about it on voice notes to friends has today been jailed for 24 years.

Plans have been put forward to open a ‘Parrot Experience’ at premises in Blackpool town centre.

The Blackburn Bus Company will replace Blackburn Private Hire as the primary operator for three local bus routes from May 18.

The Conservatives have claimed a double win in last night’s Ansdell Park and Kirkham South wards parish by-elections, holding both seats.

Reform UK has surged to become the official opposition on Chorley Council after winning half of the seats that were contested at the local elections.

The family of Philip Hayes, who died following a collision on Preston Road, Coppull, last week, have paid tribute to him.

A new late night rail service is being introduced for this year’s Lytham Festival.

A Preston student has won the prestigious Alice Guy Blaché Award as part of this year’s Film Buddy Festival.

Blackpool Zoo has been given the green light by planners to put up a huge safari tent on the site.

The main works for a coastal protection project in Blackpool have started.

Three men from Liverpool have been jailed for a series of cash machine thefts in areas including Fleetwood and Chorley, and stealing emergency cutting equipment used to save peoples’ lives.

A man from Chorley has been charged with making antisemitic comments aimed at the Jewish community.

Progress continues to be made on the £45 million Ministry of Defence office in Blackpool town centre – with residents now seeing notable changes on site.

Blackpool’s newest attraction is nearing completion and already proving to have true blue appeal.

The landlord of an East Lancashire pub has been fined and had his personal licence revoked after serving alcohol to a teenager who later died in a crash.

Preston’s flagship cultural event, Encounter Festival, has been awarded £79,000 from Arts Council England marking a significant investment in the city’s creative future.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man died and two people were seriously injured in a collision in Haslingden.

A man from Burnley has been jailed for sending sexual messages to someone he thought was a teenage girl.

A leading member of Reform UK-led Lancashire County Council has announced his plans to withdraw the local authority from the government’s refugee resettlement scheme.

The creation of a ‘mini–Canary Wharf’ is promoting Blackpool to an increasingly global audience as an all-year round international visitor destination, according to the manager of one of the resort's leading hotels.

Lancashire Police has no immediate plans to introduce a new type of speed camera that can see into vehicles and capture other motoring offences, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

An investigation is underway after a major fire at the Warburtons factory in Burnley.

A legendary Preston nightspot that reverberated to the music of the moment for more than half a century is to be turned into a storage facility.

Pupils at a Blackpool pre-school got fed up of the rubbish that kept blowing off the street and into their playground.

A Preston resident has branded an overhaul of bin collection rounds in the city “chaotic” – after three of his pick-ups were missed in the space of a week.

A former butcher has been found guilty of seven counts of indecent assault around 50 years after he committed them.

Rossendale’s dry ski slope could be closed in a review of council-owned leisure centres.

A 30-storey building that will become the tallest tower block in Lancashire is set to spring up in Preston city centre after being given the go-ahead by councillors.

More details have emerged of what will be on offer as the huge new Tenpin centre, based at the former Odeon site on Rigby Road in Blackpool, takes shape ahead of opening next month.

Colne Market Hall has officially opened to the public, marking the completion of a £3.5 million regeneration project in the heart of the town centre.

The Splash park in Promenade Gardens, St Annes, opens its gates for the 2026 season today.

A seasonal bus service linking Chorley, Adlington and Rivington will return from Sunday 3 May, helping people travel to Rivington on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Wyre Council has issued an Abatement Notice to the operator of a landfill in Fleetwood.

A woman who launched a knife attack on a man outside a pub in Penwortham, has been given a sentence of more than 10 years.

A new access road from Common Edge Road to Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone on Amy Johnson Way is set to open next week.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man died following a collision in Coppull this morning.

Police have charged a man with attempted murder after a pedestrian was struck by a car in Blackpool.

Fylde Council has announced its the latest round of Community Projects Fund awards, with eight local organisations and an new heritage initiative set to benefit from grants.

Full details of a series of weekly overnight closures at Junction 5 of the M65, starting next month, have been revealed.

Blackpool’s Tramtown museum has been forced to close permanently after the main building used by the public was found to be unsafe.

Police have made two arrests after they attended a funeral directors in Preston earlier today.

Some 21 residential roads in Blackpool – including many with the worst potholes – have been resurfaced as part of a huge council investment in extra road maintenance.

Speculation has continued over whether the Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool is preparing to take in asylum seekers, despite assertions from politicians that it isn’t.

Runners will take over the town centre for the return of the annual Chorley 10K and 2K Family Run over the weekend.

The 156th Open Championship will return to Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2028 after a 16-year absence.

Wyre Council has issued major updates for two of the borough’s key venues -  Marine Hall in Fleetwood and Thornton Little Theatre.

A family have paid tribute to an ‘outgoing woman who would do anything for anyone’ who died following a road traffic collision in Preston.

Blackpool Council has formally submitted its Adult Social Care Improvement Plan to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Colne Market Hall will reopen to the public later this week, marking the completion of a £3.5 million regeneration project in the heart of the town centre.

A burglar has been jailed for more than three years after carrying out two high-value break-ins in Poulton-le-Fylde and Preston. 

A man has been given a hospital order after stamping on and kicking a Preston dad to death last year.

Burnley is preparing to turn up the volume once again as Burnley Live returns with four days of music and entertainment across the town.

Wyre Council has taken firm action to tackle environmental crime by increasing the penalty for fly‑tipping to the maximum level permitted by government.

Central Radio will host a special live programme to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Eric Morecambe.

A popular amusements arcade is making a fresh start with a new name, a new brand and an eye to the future.

Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was fatally struck by a car in Accrington.