Central Radio News

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.

Two Blackpool councillors are raising awareness about dog fouling from an anti-social and public health perspective.

New jobs are now on offer as Blackpool’s ambitious Southbeach Streetfood project moves closer.

The public car park at Burnley Crematorium is to be expanded.

A new attraction for Blackpool is already causing a stir as it takes shape during ongoing construction.

Accident and emergency patients at the Royal Preston Hospital wait less time for a bed on a ward when medics are on strike, new research has found.

Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Lorraine Beavers has vowed to continue to support women who are fighting for compensation over a “pension age injustice”.

A man has been charged with murder following a fatal collision in Accrington.

A Blackburn amateur football club’s new changing rooms have moved a step closer.

The owners of Blackpool’s Metropole Hotel have responded after calls were made to ‘restore it to former glory’ following almost five years as a base for asylum seekers.

Campaigners are planning a protest outside Longridge Community Hospital on May 9.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has awarded a £67,500-per-year contract for a community bereavement support service to support children, young people and families.

Social media posts suggesting the Norbreck Castle Hotel will be the next home for asylum seekers have been slammed as “unacceptable”.

A special military parade will take place in Leyland today as The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment is granted the Freedom of the Borough.

The family of a man who died after being hit by a car in Accrington have paid tribute to him.

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.

A new contemporary building is to replace a shop unit in Blackpool town centre which was destroyed by a devastating fire more than three years ago.

Two men from Preston have been convicted – and one jailed for more than 20 years - following the collection of cocaine worth £26.5 million which was dropped off at sea off the Somerset coast.

Preston City Council has formally submitted expressions of interest to include two of the city’s most cherished traditions - Preston Guild and Preston Egg Rolling - within the UK’s UNESCO Living Heritage inventories.

A multi-million pound scheme to construct a gleaming new purpose-built Fisherman’s Friend factory in Fleetwood appears to have been held up – by the appearance of some protected wildlife.

Hoardings are now in place promoting a controversial housing regeneration scheme in Blackpool’s Revoe area.

More than £140,000 worth of illegal tobacco has been taken off the streets following a coordinated day of action involving police and partner agencies in Preston.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following a serious collision in Haslingden.

Teams from local businesses and charities across Preston will come together to compete in the annual Preston City Games.

Organisers of Blackpool Carnival say this year’s event is going to be the “biggest and best” so far.

A new 91‑home housing estate near Whinney Hill Tip has been proposed.

The historic setting of Lancaster Castle will host a prestigious honours ceremony later this week, as local recipients are presented with the British Empire Medal.

A Fylde coast park which has fallen on hard times is set for a major revamp before its 90th anniversary is celebrated next year.

Plans to build what would become Lancashire’s tallest skyscraper in the heart of Preston are set to be given the go-ahead by councillors.

There are not yet any confirmed tenants for a major industrial, retail and leisure development planned for South Ribble – almost two-and-a-half years after it was given the green light.

Plans to develop Bacup Market have been approved by Rossendale Council, including a landmark wooden canopy and amphitheatre events space.

Changes to Lidl’s delayed new supermarket in Darwen have been approved by councillors.

More jobs details have been revealed by bowling operator Tenpin before its new centre opens in Blackpool this summer – and up to 50 positions are available.

A man has been arrested following a reported rape at Preston Bus Station.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has made a £150,000 grant to keep 100 bedsits for supported accommodation for the homeless in the coming year.

Extra police powers have been used in Preston after an attack on a teenage boy.

Calendars advising Preston residents of bin collection changes had to be hand delivered by council staff after the company contracted to do the job allegedly missed out addresses in various parts of the city.

Residents in Blackpool would not be happy to see tourism tax – already introduced into some places with high visitor numbers – brought to the resort.

A man has been arrested in Accrington after allegedly offering stolen chocolate to police.

A Lancashire council’s priorities include spin-off tourism successes from the 2027 Tour de France cycle race – but more local arts and culture events are needed too, a councillor believes.

A major new art installation is set to transform Preston’s high street.

A man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison following a violent knife attack in Preston.

Hospital bosses have confirmed a norovirus outbreak at Royal Preston Hospital.

The new incarnation of Preston’s Old Tram Bridge will open on 22nd May, the city council has announced.

Police are appealing for witnesses, footage and information after a man was left with serious injuries following a road traffic collision in Blackpool.

A man has been given jailed for nine years setting fire to a car which was parked on the driveway of a house in Staining. 

The RNLI have raised serious safety concerns and are formally objecting to plans to include rock groynes on Blackpool’s beaches as part of a major coastal protection scheme.

The occupants of a controversial unauthorised travellers’ camp near Whitehall Park in Darwen have been given another nine months to vacate the site despite losing a court case over their right to stay on the land which they own.

A multi-million pound community sports village for Blackpool has taken a major step forward as new details on the project emerge.

Preston Bus passengers will no longer be able to enjoy £1 travel on more than half a dozen of the firm’s services after it announced it was withdrawing from a scheme that capped fares for some off-peak journeys.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has declared victory after he was given personal Home Office confirmation that asylum seekers are to leave the town’s Metropole Hotel by July.

More than 98% of Lancashire children starting primary school in September have been offered a place at one of their three preferred primary schools.

The Fleetwood to Knott End ferry will continue after a deal was struck to keep the service operating.

A family have paid tribute to a man who died in a collision in Blackburn earlier this month.

The Blackpool South MP has made an urgent call to end the use of the town’s Metropole Hotel to house asylum seekers.

A £478,000 investment in Blackpool’s Grundy Art Gallery will continue their town’s commitment to culture.

Bowling operator Tenpin has announced the next round of new job vacancies up for grabs in the run-up to opening a new centre in Blackpool this summer.

Secondary school pupils and students from across Blackpool are benefitting from an AI super curriculum designed to boost digital skills and highlight employment opportunities in the cyber industry.

Darwen’s Library Theatre renovation has been given an almost £1million boost by the government.

Residents across the Fylde Coast are being invited to step inside one of the world’s most iconic dance venues as part of a special community celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the Blackpool Dance Festival.

Police are investigating after a large cannabis grow was discovered in Preston.

Blackpool’s Illuminations attracted in two-in-every-five visitors to the resort in late summer and autumn last year.

Thirteen new East Lancashire free breakfast clubs are among 116 which have opened this week across the North-West as the government overhauls school dinners nationwide.

Urgent demands have been made for flooding to be tackled on the M65 in east Lancashire, ‘before any more loss of life or injuries’.

Blackpool and the Fylde College has been chosen to provide major new courses linked to Britain’s defence industry and potentially “highly-skilled, well-paid jobs”, thanks to a £10m investment.

A predatory paedophile from East Lancashire who sexually abused two young girls has been jailed for 26 years.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced the new eagerly-awaited driving test centre for Blackpool will open later this week.

Preston City Council’s series of new waste and recycling initiatives begin next week

The family of a man who died in a collision in Rivington have paid a heartfelt tribute to him.

A prolific burglar who targeted businesses across Blackpool and St Annes town centres has been jailed for four years and six months following a series of break-ins that caused significant damage and financial loss.

A long-running Preston nightclub has closed temporarily ahead of a possible rebrand.

A man has been arrested after a police chase through Preston ended in a crash involving several vehicles.

Eighty-three candidates will battle it out for places on Preston City Council at the local elections next month.

A well-known Blackpool nightclub is set to reopen under new management.

Tributes have been paid to a teenager from Poulton who drowned while swimming in the Lake District.

Pendle Council’s leader says he ‘resents’ implications that public consultation about how a £1.5m government grant should be spent in towns and villages has not been robust.

A teenage boy has been charged after a fire at a nightclub in the grounds of the Park Hall Hotel near Chorley.

Blackpool Council has appointed a team with ‘lived experience’ as it looks to create better quality adult social care after a damning “inadequate” CQC report last year.

The future of the much-loved Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry has been cast into doubt after a new statement from Wyre Council.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has hailed a major £1.8m Government boost for the town’s SEND schooling provision.

One of Blackpool’s smallest libraries has been shown to generate huge economic and social value for local residents, according to a new report.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man in his 30s died following a single vehicle road traffic collision in Rivington.

The hunt will begin within months for the person who will spearhead preparations for the next Preston Guild – even though the event itself is another six years away.

Shops selling non-compliant vapes, illicit tobacco, and supplying age-restricted products to children in Blackpool have been shut down by public protection officers.

The Blackpool Dance Festival team has launched an urgent appeal to trace a historic bronze and ivory figurine that was once a treasured trophy from the early days of Blackpool Winter Gardens.

A demolition crew this week have arrived on the site of boarded up terraced houses at the back of Blackpool FC’s stadium, Bloomfield Road.

Hyndburn MP Sarah Smith and the council’s Labour group have backed a union proposal for the staff of the East Lancashire BT offices scheduled for closure in the Blackburn telephone exchange.

Vandals have left drivers at risk of inadvertently breaching the rules at a controversial bus-only zone in Preston – by turning around a key warning sign.

Preston Caribbean Carnival has been awarded a significant grant from Arts Council England to support the delivery of its 2026 programme.

Police have launched an attempted murder investigation after a woman was stabbed at Carleton Crematorium in Poulton-le-Fylde.

Blackpool Council has welcomed figures that show a notable fall in anti-social behaviour in the resort – including areas associated with the holiday trade.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a motorcyclist was left with life-changing injuries following a collision in Euxton.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a pedestrian died following a serious collision in Chorley.

Plans for a major expansion of Preston grassroots music venue The Ferret have been given the go-ahead.

The Fylde coast is feeling the fuel pinch as the war in Iran hits the petrol pumps – but some believe the fallout could actually help Blackpool’s tourist trade.

A gym user has blasted the ‘disgusting’ state of amenities at a council-run leisure centre in Bispham.

A motorbike-riding councillor from Chorley has warned that the number of potholes on Lancashire’s roads is putting the lives of two-wheeled travellers like him at risk.

When it comes to building a 125-metre bridge across a fast-flowing river, some elements of the task are bound to prove tougher than others.

The purchase of the final part of the preferred site for a new Royal Preston Hospital was made possible after the government released funding that had first been committed when the facility was set to be built far sooner, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands.

A group of inspiring young people from Blackpool are celebrating after being selected to represent the UK at the World Scout Jamboree 2027 in Poland, an experience that will see them step boldly onto the global stage.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following a serious collision on the M6 on Good Friday evening.

A man has been jailed for 12 years for raping and sexually assaulting a child and sexually assaulting another child.

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

Two new bronze sculptures depicting influential figures from Preston's history will be officially presented to The Harris this month.

An online petition has been launched in a bid to save a Fylde coast church from demolition.

A rogue landscaper and roofer who scammed four householders in Chorley and Manchester out of thousands of pounds has been given a suspended 22-month jail sentence.

Two people have been arrested as part of an investigation into the death of a man from Blackburn.

Two residents at a care home in Blackpool were rushed to hospital following a fire and 21 others were treated at the scene.

Patients in Lancashire are being warned that resident doctors are set to strike just after the Easter bank holiday weekend.

New weekly food waste collections are to launch alongside household bin collection changes in Blackpool.

Chorley’s Neighbourhood Policing Team have secured a closure order at a problem address.

The NHS has purchased the final plot of land needed to build a new Royal Preston Hospital – even though construction work is not due to begin for more than a decade.

Upgrade works on tram tracks in Fleetwood are set to resume following the Easter holiday.

A teenager who was the victim of a sexual assault was praised by a judge during the sentencing of the man who attacked her.

Five men who ran or assisted in running the ‘Max’ drug line, based in Bradford, bringing drugs across into East Lancashire, have been jailed.

A man has been disqualified from driving for a year and jailed for eight months for dangerous driving to avoid police.

A contractor has been appointed to deliver the next stage of the complex repair project on Haslingden Old Road.

Campaigners against a stinking landfill site in Fleetwood are challenging data provided by statutory bodies in regard to air quality and public safety.

Blackpool Council has responded to concerns over the safety of proposed rock groynes for Blackpool beach – and insists they are the best option to safeguard the resort’s famous golden sands.

A registered sex offender has been jailed for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

​​​​​​​Wyre Council has formally signed a new contract with Parkwood Leisure, working in partnership with the charitable organisation Creating Active Futures, to manage the borough’s leisure centres from next month.

Families across Hyndburn are being invited to enjoy a packed programme of Easter activities at Accrington Market

Blackpool’s Grundy Art Gallery celebrated a landmark cultural moment as it welcomed guests to an exclusive preview event to mark the arrival of a rare Monet masterpiece.

Police and partner agencies in Blackpool are to take part in a new Home Office funded pilot project aimed at improving the response to spiking reports.

The Chorley Flower Show returns to Astley Park this summer.

Preston residents can now check how – and whether – their bin collection days will change as part of the biggest shake-up of the city’s waste service in almost 15 years.

Work is now under way for a new Tesco store in the heart of Blackpool town centre.

Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, and Pendle Councils have each been awarded a £270,000 grant to improve playgrounds.

A catchy but thought-provoking rap song about Blackpool by a local music duo has gone viral – and caused some controversy as well.

Lancashire residents who rely on heating oil will be able to access support to help with rising bills as a result of the conflict in Iran.

The public consultation opens today on plans for the proposed merger between Blackpool and The Fylde College and Furness College in South Cumbria.

A man has been charged with murder after a prisoner was found deceased at HMP Garth.

A council meeting at Blackpool was dramatically adjourned when protesters against plans to demolish their homes interrupted proceedings to air their grievances.

Plans have been revealed to bring padel tennis, one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports, to Burnley’s flagship park.

Councillors have approved a new visitor attraction for Blackpool – the Upside Down House.

Preston City Council has awarded £200,000 to community groups across the city.

Two significant improvement projects are near completion at Fairhaven Lake.

Burnley has been awarded £20 million through the Government’s Pride in Place programme, with funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), supporting the next phase of regeneration in the town.

A drug dealer who sold heroin and crack cocaine in East Lancashire has been jailed for 10 years. 

Blackpool’s holiday trade is in optimistic mood for the forthcoming season and anticipates that the resort is on the up again.

A raft of bestselling and award-winning thriller writers has been secured for the inaugural Preston Crime Fiction Festival.

Blackburn’s revamped Audley and Queen’s Park Children’s Centre is nearing completion after a major upgrade.

A man has been jailed after admitting the rape of a ten-year-old girl in Burnley.

More than 2,000 people have signed a new petition urging government intervention to support Preston in achieving its goal of having a major venue.

Preston City Council has announced a major £5 million investment to upgrade and expand Preston Cemetery and Crematorium.

The site of the former Accrington Victoria Hospital is to be regenerated with a new GP surgery, homes for frail or elderly residents, extra health services focused on older patients and those with long term conditions, a café and space for drop-in clinics.

Ambitious plans to introduce improvements to the top gallery tier at Grade II-listed Blackpool Grand Theatre have been given the go ahead.

Campaigners have won their battle for a new pedestrian crossing near St Francis CE Primary School in Cherry Tree Lane in Blackburn.

Proposals for a huge development at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone will go before planners tomorrow – and the scheme carries major jobs hopes if approved.

Police have charged a teenager after a 15-year-old boy suffered stab injuries in Preston.

New proposals for a padel tennis club and cafe for Poulton have been given the go ahead by planners – three months after being refused.

Two brothers have been jailed after a pedestrian was fatally struck by a car in Brierfield and attempts were later made to cover it up.

More than £270,000 is set to be awarded to support vital local projects in the first round of the Darwen Community Fund, with the successful applicants now being revealed.

A judge has praised a sexual abuse victim’s exceptional courage after her abuser was jailed for almost 20 years.

A mother and her two children have been jailed after murdering a man in Blackburn.

A convicted rapist, described by a judge as one of "the most dangerous sex offenders in the country" has been given a life sentence.

Burnley MP Oliver Ryan has called on Lancashire County Council to consider a compensation scheme for businesses impacted by town centre ‘roadworks chaos’.

The first phase of a major programme of road improvements designed to support Blackpool’s regeneration and improve access to the town centre is starting this week.

Preston’s beloved Easter tradition is back this Easter Monday as Avenham Park transforms into a lively festival of fun, creativity, and entertainment for all ages.

Preston’s green spaces gearing up for major investment in the coming months and years.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a motorcyclist died following a collision on the A59 at Horton.

A man from Accrington has been jailed for sexually assaulting a woman while she slept. 

Blackpool has been invited by the government to bid to be the UK City of Culture for 2029.

Fylde Council is spearheading a borough-wide effort to compete for the prestigious UK Town of Culture 2028, with plans to submit a bid on behalf of Kirkham, while actively supporting other towns and parishes across Fylde as they develop their own proposals.

Nearly 200 taxis were stopped and inspected during a large-scale multi-agency operation across Preston, Chorley and South Ribble, as police and council teams joined forces to keep the public safe.

An Accrington park is to see its sports pavilion brought back into use and a second artificial cricket wicket installed as part of a £100,000 upgrade.

Local famous faces have been announced to lead the fun-packed line-up for Fylde Fest: Spring into Life when it returns to St Annes Square later this month.

A total of 31 people have been arrested and significant quantities of cash, weapons and drugs have been seized across South Lancashire as part of a major national operation targeting County Lines criminality.

The re-opening of Accrington’s historic Grade II heritage-listed Market Hall after an £11million refurbishment will coincide with the town’s Christmas lights switch-on in November, senior councillors have been told.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has been given more than £10million over three years to help hard up residents cope with the cost of living crisis.

Members of a Blackpool drug-supply gang have been given custodial sentences totalling more than 63 years.  

Work is poised to start on Phase Three of the repurposing of Great Harwood’s historic Mercer Hall.

Senior councillors have approved the appointment of Star Academies to occupy the first building of Blackburn’s proposed £45million town centre Skills and Education Campus.

A mother and son from Darwen who plotted to smuggle 14 kilos of cocaine into the UK have been jailed, following a National Crime Agency investigation.

A 50-year-old man had died after the e-bike he was riding collided with a parked car in Fleetwood.

Residents in an Over Wyre village are fighting against plans to build 79 new homes on a greenfield site.

The new owners of Guy’s Thatched Hamlet in Bilsborrow have been confirmed.

The new High Sheriff of Lancashire for 2026–2027 has been announced as David Collinge, a sixth-generation weaver from Burnley whose life and career have been shaped by Lancashire’s textile heritage.

The backlog in the assessment system for determining the support required by Lancashire children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is on course to be cleared in less than two months.

The landscape of Blackpool is continuing to change as a cordoned off area of Charles Street and Cookson Street is levelled off to make way for the town’s landmark £65 million Multiversity campus.

Parking restrictions are to be widened close to an expanding school in suburban Preston.

A call has been made for a Fylde coast park to be restored to the way it used to be, when it was a huge attraction for youngsters, families and visitors.

Urgent changes to make the notorious Norcross roundabout safer for drivers are finally under way.

A ban on barbeques, campfires, sky lanterns and fireworks across the moors in East Lancashire is up for review.

Work to build a new community sports village in central Blackpool is expected to start later this year.

A Burnley man has been jailed for more than 15 years for sexually assaulting a young girl.

The Harris in Preston has announced that it has welcomed a new intern through the DFN Project SEARCH supported internship programme.