Central Radio News

A new innovation hub to boost collaboration in key sectors has been announced by Lancashire County Council.

A man who groomed a 13-year-old girl before going onto sexually assault and rape her has been jailed.

Blackpool is bidding for £750,000 to boost its cultural offer with some of the cash potentially being used to launch new events if the application is successful.

A major engagement exercise to get the public’s thoughts on the proposed sites for new hospitals in Preston and Lancaster has been indefinitely postponed after the projects were pushed back to the late 2030s.

Expect wind speeds of up to 90mph across Lancashire as Storm Eowyn approaches.

Hopes of converting Blackpool’s former Odeon Cinema into a family entertainment centre appear to have been revived with the owners now seeking a leisure operator for the site.

A Blackburn man has been handed a lengthy jail sentence after violently attacking a man with a hammer.

Wyre Council has lodged objections to controversial proposals to develop a sand and gravel quarry next to houses in the village of Preesall.

Building work on planned new hospitals for Preston and Lancaster will not now begin until the second half of the 2030s – the point by which the facilities had previously been expected to open.

A rogue roofer who scammed a couple out of £1,300 for 'make believe' roof repairs has been jailed for three years and three months following action by Trading Standards officers.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a fatal collision in Chorley.

Preston’s new cinema and leisure development, “Animate”, will officially launch on 5th February when the first venue throws open its doors.

Police are investigating after a cannabis grow was found in Preston.

Anyone feeling vulnerable or scared on a night out in Blackpool will be able to seek help at a new safe haven which has been launched in the town centre.

Accrington’s King George V Playing Fields will be back in use by September next year.

Police have recovered £28 million worth of assets from a gang of international bitcoin fraudsters.

Police have arrested four people as enquiries continue after a missing man from Darwen was found dead.

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

Police have charged four people following a high value theft from a shop in Preston.

Controversial plans to build a third jail on the border of Chorley and Leyland could end up being decided in the High Court after campaigners launched a legal bid to block the project.

Rawtenstall is undergoing some major changes including phased town centre roadworks aiming to improve traffic flow.

Police have charged a woman with murder after a body was sadly found inside a flat in Church.

More cameras could be added to Blackpool’s CCTV system following a £2m investment which saw a new control centre open nearly two years ago.

A man has been jailed for assaulting and coercive controlling a Fleetwood mum who went on to take her own life.

Police have launched a murder investigation after a woman’s body was found inside a property in Church.

Singer Linda Nolan, who rose to fame alongside her sisters in The Nolans, has died after two decades years of battling cancer.

A former employee from Nelson has been sentenced after she logged into a firm's computer system and deleted business-critical data.

Plans to build a new ‘first class’ M&S store at Norcross offering ‘6,600 product lines’ have been lodged with planners at Wyre.

A man found dead in Rivington has been identified after a year-long investigation.

Work to create a tram museum in Blackpool is continuing with volunteers hoping to submit a bid for National Lottery funding to support the vision to preserve the resort’s heritage fleet.

Members of the public are being invited to have their say on the proposed site for a new hospital for Preston.

A former teacher will appear in court next month as part of an investigation into alleged historic sexual offences in Fleetwood.

Plans that could transform Blackburn’s already super successful Making Rooms into the leading makerspace in the whole of the UK have been revealed.

More than two dozen extra homes are to be built on a housing estate in rural Preston after revised plans were drawn up to reduce the size of the properties.

The boyfriend of a young mother who took her own life has been found guilty of assault and prolonged domestic violence but cleared of her manslaughter.

A man has died following a collision on the M6 in Lancashire yesterday afternoon.

A man has been jailed for trying to steal from two people in Accrington in the space of a few minutes.

Parents who have yet to apply for a primary school place starting this September in Lancashire are being reminded that the deadline for applications falls on Wednesday 15 January.

The government may have to make the final call on plans for a major overhaul of a Preston park after an objection from Sports England.

Lancashire’s elected Police and Crime Commissioner has commented on traffic patrols, road safety and action against danger-drivers following recent incidents and debates about the M65, where a number of fatal incidents have happened.

It has played host to The Beatles, legendary clown Charlie Cairoli and a host of dances and election counts – and this year Fleetwood’s Marine Hall turns 90.

Volunteers who are battling to restore a famous Blackpool landmark are appealing for more people to join their ranks.

Plans to move Rawtenstall Market traders to a temporary town centre site while the indoor market hall and surrounds are redeveloped have been approved by Rossendale Council’s cabinet.

Blackpool’s Winter Gardens has received a new year boost after thousands of young dancers stepped out on its famous ballroom for the first big dance event of 2025.

Highways bosses are poised to spend up to £6m on plans for a radical revamp of one of the most congested roads in Central Lancashire – in spite of there being no guarantee of the government funding also needed to make them a reality.

The rules for disabled parking at Chorley and Preston hospitals are so confusing and unhelpful that blue badge-holders are either getting fined or paying unnecessarily for their stay.

Work on the construction of the controversial Wilson Sports Village in Clayton-Le-Moors will start again later this month.

More than one in 10 patients is facing a wait of at least 24 hours in A&E as winter pressures pile up at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Lancashire Police arrested 331 people for drink or drug driving related offences in December 2024, 24% more than last year.

Preston’s long-awaited cinema, restaurant and leisure complex will open in phases from the middle of February, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

Improved lighting and greening up of parts of the town centre are among the schemes funded by £1.5m of government cash.

A carcinogenic substance has been found in gardens and allotments close to the grounds of a former chemical plant in Thornton Cleveleys.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has set his own party a challenge – declaring “It’s about time UK Labour came back to Blackpool’.

Fylde Council has announced the launch of a transformative initiative to install new bus shelters across St Annes.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is to dramatically increase the weekly payments to foster carers who agree to continue to live with them after becoming 18.

A backdated planning application has been submitted for a controversial ‘unlawful’ travellers’ encampment currently occupying grassland near the Darwen’s Whitehall Park.

Police would like to speak to a man in connection with a report of a theft of a collection box from a McDonalds in Chorley.

A £30million drive to tackle congestion at one of the key gateway junctions into Blackburn and Darwen will start in July.

Police are appealing for information after a woman suffered serious injuries following a collision in St Annes.

Blackpool needs a large events arena to compete with rival towns and cities on the entertainment circuit, a former councillor who played guitar with some of the biggest stars of the 1970s has warned.

iMEP have announced that the 2025 iMEP Music Festival will take place over two days at Accrington Cricket Club’s iMEP Arena on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th September.

Lancashire County Council's gritting crews are preparing to put some brand-new snow-clearing kit to the test as they get ready to tackle the severe weather predicted for this weekend.

New research has found that over a quarter of surveyed firefighters who attended the Grenfell Tower fire are now suffering from long-term health disorders.

A fresh appeal has gone out for more people to come forward to act as foster carers in Blackpool with the resort still having more than 500 children living in council care.

The number of children excluded from school in Lancashire has more than doubled over the last five years – far outstripping the rate at which exclusions have increased nationally.

Half of the new homes planned as part of a major expansion of Preston have now been completed.

A ban on drinking, using drugs, urinating and defecating in public and begging is being brought in for Darwen town centre.

It’s the East Lancashire football derby this weekend, and Lancashire Police, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley Football Clubs are urging supporters to enjoy the day without letting passions spill over.

Work is due to begin early in the new year on a new passenger handling facility at Blackpool Airport as part of major investment in the air hub in 2025.

Blackpool’s Tory opposition leader has warned of council tax rises and cuts to services despite a £17m funding boost for town hall spending next year.

BAE Systems is celebrating two new deals to buy Eurofighter Typhoon jets which secure thousands of jobs at the firm’s Lancashire military aircraft factories.

A Rossendale off-licence shop has had its premises licence revoked after selling alcohol to youngsters under 18, which was linked to town centre trouble including planned fights and anti-social behaviour at a Rawtenstall Market ‘Foodie Fridays’ event.

A number of figures across Lancashire have been recognised in the 2025 King’s New Year Honours List.

Blackpool’s Winter Gardens conference centre is bringing a multi million pound boost in business tourism to the town.

Work on controversial plans for a new bus lane on one of the busiest roads in Preston is set to begin later this week.

2025 is set to be a big year for Preston – with a raft of long-running regeneration projects set to come to a conclusion and several other schemes poised to get under way.

Emergency work is needed to re-install and test high-voltage power cable that was stolen by thieves ahead of a major project milestone.

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

Plans to use cameras to catch drivers making illegal manoeuvres on Lancashire’s roads have yet to be implemented – almost two years since they were given the green light.    

Loud music and barking dogs were the leading causes of noise complaint made by Preston residents about their neighbours this year.

A man has been jailed for stealing designer clothing from a store in Preston.

A man has been charged after a woman died following a collision in Nelson.

Blackpool’s ambitious regeneration programme is set to make more progress in 2025 with the resort poised for hundreds of millions of pounds of investment.

Work on a £7.5m scheme to transform a historic Blackpool building into a modern hub for small businesses is on track to be completed by next spring.

Blackpool’s £350m Talbot Gateway will see a number of key milestones reached in 2025 as the next phases of development make progress.

More than £600,000 has been added to the amount generated in fines by a bus-only zone in Preston in the space of just two months.

A charity which supports young homeless people in Blackpool has seen a rise in demand for its services this year and is warning of a funding ‘cliff edge’.

Part of Blackpool town centre will be closed to traffic to enable the resort to literally lay down the red carpet for visiting celebrities next month.

A £1.7m new youth centre in Blackpool is on track to launch in the spring after the building work was completed two months ahead of schedule.

Almost 50 bedrooms are to be added to a Preston hotel near the M6 after city planners gave the green light to a revamp of the facility.

The Fleetwood to Knott End ferry service will be out of action until February due to a fault with the vessel.

Following recent incidents at St Joseph’s Orphanage and 131 Church Street, which caused much disruption within Preston and the wider community, the Council has set up a dedicated Task Force to address empty and derelict buildings and the growing concerns around safety.

Burnley is celebrating a remarkable year of growth and development as a host of new businesses have chosen to open their doors in the town centre, marking a significant step forward in the vision to make Burnley a destination of choice for residents, visitors, and businesses alike.

Blackpool is preparing to bring the curtain down on 2024 with a spectacular New Year’s Eve party on the Prom.

Plans have been lodged to build a new motorway service station in Preston.

Lancashire County Council has unveiled plans for new bus links in Preston, Chorley and South Ribble as part of a shake-up of services from Spring 2025.

The first stage of vital works that aim to relieve congestion and improve traffic flow in Rawtenstall have been completed ahead of the Christmas holidays.

The University of Central Lancashire can begin dropping the word ‘central’

Work has started to build 11 new business units at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone with four already sold.

An East Lancashire businesswoman whose sandwich bar was ‘boosted’ by winning a Gold award in scheme promoting healthier eating choices for food outlet customers has urged others to sign up.

A Wyre councillor says she has advised worried constituents to attend new drop-in sessions offering updates on a probe into historic chemical contamination in Thornton.

Blackpool has received a grant for £1.8m towards planting new trees across the borough as part of a strategy to green up the town.

Blackpool is set to receive £2.3m of government funding to fix potholes across the town.

A £17m increase in Blackpool Council’s spending power next year has been welcomed by the council leader – but she warned it remains ‘impossible’ to turn the clock back on previous cuts.

Central Radio North West is delighted to announce that seasoned broadcaster Ian Shepherd will be joining our team as a presenter, bringing his unparalleled passion, flair, and connection to the community back to the airwaves.

A family have paid an emotional and loving tribute to a man who was ‘loved and liked by everybody’. 

Blackpool is to receive nearly £3m to tackle homelessness in the resort as latest figures show a rise in the number of people without a proper home.

A scheme to revive an Over Wyre pub which had fallen into near-dereliction is back with Wyre planners – a year after it was approved.

Voluntary, community and faith groups in an East Lancashire borough can now apply for small grants projects to tackle hate crime and divisive and extremist ideologies.

The daughters of the woman who sadly died following a collision in Nelson have paid a heartbreaking tribute to ‘the most awesomest mum’.

Fylde Council has announced the company in talks to take over the operation and reopening of Kirkham swimming pool have pulled out.

A demolition team has been appointed to bulldoze the former Bonny Street Police Station and magistrates courts paving the way for potential new developers to take over the Blackpool Central site.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds is to be spent upgrading facilities at two key areas of Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.

A woman has died after a collision in Nelson over the weekend.

Fylde Council recently hosted a well-attended Bidders Day for potential St Annes Pool operators at the Town Hall.

Construction has commenced to restore the 2.5km of pathway between Wyre Estuary Country Park, Stanah and Skippool Picnic Area and car park.

Eric Wright Civil Engineering, the principal contractor for the new Tram Bridge project, will be scaling back the construction site during the winter months and resuming work in Spring 2025.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has received the £1.6 million government grant needed to pay for hundreds of new electric vehicle charge points.

New figures show more people visited Blackpool seafront this summer – peaking at 6.8 million in July – despite setbacks including the cost of living crisis and riots.

Blackburn’s King George’s Hall has been hailed as the best entertainment venue in Lancashire outside Blackpool.

The headteacher of a Preston sixth form college hit by strike action says he can understand why staff have resorted to walking out.

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

An investigation has been launched after a man died following a road traffic collision in Burnley.

A drink driver has been jailed for more than two years after causing a collision which resulted in a motorcyclist losing his leg.

Six men have been charged after a series of drugs warrants were executed across the Fylde coast.

Wyre Council has been working hard with external specialists Arcadis on a masterplan aimed at transforming the area along the waterfront at Fleetwood.

A rogue builder and roofer from Burnley has been jailed for 11 months after ripping off a string of victims.

The Royal Preston Hospital should be refurbished where it stands rather than a new one being built eight miles away in South Ribble.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has called for the town’s historic trams to be back running as soon as possible after the service was suspended.

Plans to build a new hotel alongside Blackpool’s Winter Gardens complex have finally received full approval after landscaping concerns were resolved.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a pedestrian very sadly died following a collision in Darwen.

A man has been jailed after raping a teenager in Burnley.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is to earmark £1.6million to pay for 825 electric vehicle charge points by 2030.

Work to build a 110-space car park in Blackpool has begun – but has come under renewed criticism from those saying the space should have been developed into a town centre park instead.

The land sale agreement with collapsed developer Nikal Ltd has now been formally terminated by Blackpool Council – paving the way for a new investor to be found.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a motorcyclist  died following a collision in Preston.

An extra £1million is to be pumped into the multi-million pound renovation of Blackburn’s King George’s Hall.

Plans to change a residential house in Cleveleys into a small children’s home have been refused by planners.

The most senior nurse in England says staff at the Royal Preston Hospital want to “take some pressure out of the system” to ensure patients receive the consistent care they deserve.

The number of bungalows to be built as part of an older persons’ village on the outskirts of Preston has more than doubled after plans to redesign the development were given the go-ahead.

An investigation is underway after a man died when a tree fell onto his van during Storm Darragh.

A former Lancashire Constabulary police officer has been jailed following a proactive investigation by the Anti-Corruption Unit.

Lytham Institute, a registered charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents of Lytham and the surrounding areas, has announced the launch of a recruitment campaign to appoint six additional trustees.

£126,000 worth of cannabis was found after car stopped at M6 near Preston this week.

Burnley Council has called for a feasibility study into bringing back lighting to the whole of the M65 as part of safety review into East Lancashire’s main motorway.

Five Hyndburn organisations have been given grants from the council’s Cabinet Action Fund.

Fleetwood Town FC said they were disappointed to be made aware of an allegation of racism towards an opposition player.

Hyndburn residents have been asked for their views on the council’s ambitious proposals to redevelop Accrington town centre.

Plans to build 93 homes in the Norcross area between Thornton and Anchorsholme have been resubmitted to planners.

The Darwen town centre office of former Conservative MP Sir Jake Berry is to become a taxi booking hub.

A Blackburn man who took videos and boasted about driving dangerously has been jailed for 12 years.

A man from Blackpool has been jailed for five years after obtaining £22,000 through blackmail. 

Preston should be expanded to include parts of South Ribble, Wyre and Ribble Valley – creating a new ‘Greater Preston’ council area.

Controversial plans for a new prison on the border of Chorley and Leyland have been given the go-ahead by the government.

​Police have charged four men after cannabis with an estimated street value of more than £4 million was found in Blackpool. 

Preston’s council leader says some form of hospital should remain within the city itself – even if plans to open a new one in neighbouring South Ribble get the go ahead.

Plans to build a housing estate on a former quarry in Chorley have been given final go-ahead – more than a decade after they were first mooted.

Lancashire Police has launched its seasonal drug and drink driving crackdown.

An RAF veteran from Lytham is asking local people to send messages of support this Christmas to veterans who are struggling with physical and mental challenges.

Teens were illegally sold knives by more than one in three shops in the latest undercover tests by Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards and Lancashire Police.

The NHS has revealed where it is provisionally planning to build the new hospitals promised for Preston and Lancaster.

American rock band Kings of Leon will headline the opening night of the 2025 Lytham Festival.

The leaders of South Ribble and Chorley councils have suggested joining up with West Lancashire to form a single local authority for the entire area.

A man has died after he was hit by a car in Preston that failed to stop at the scene.

Martin Kemp wowed the crowds of Accrington as over 12,000 people turned out to watch his fantastic ‘Back to the Eighties Show’ at the #AmazingAccrington Christmas Light Switch On.

A new local campaign has been launched to safeguard Preston's Cenotaph and reinforce its role as a space of respect, remembrance, and community reverence.

A major milestone in the development of a new second home for Lancashire Cricket has been reached, one year on from construction of the new Farington cricket facility commencing.

A Fleetwood man has been jailed for his part in the disorder in Blackpool in the summer.

A call to ditch Blackpool’s extended Illuminations season because it is not cost-effective has been dismissed by council bosses who say the Lights provide a massive boost to the resort.

The MP for Fylde has warned the creation of a single coastal council encompassing Blackpool would be “disastrous” for the wider area.

A row over landscaping around a proposed new landmark hotel looks set to be resolved after the developer agreed to pay out for tree planting elsewhere.

Calls have been made for more expensive Saturday funerals to be brought in line with the cost of a weekday service to help reduce delays for mourners.

Police are appealing for information after two people were injured by a dog in Blackpool.

Preston’s largest and oldest park is set for an overhaul that will see one of its historic features given a new lease of life.

Thousands of pounds worth of illicit tobacco products have been seized from two shops in Rossendale.

Plans to bring a piece of Preston’s history back to life look set to get the go-ahead.

Blackpool Council is seeking views on a draft masterplan for Stanley Park.

Lancashire has moved a step closer to being handed a raft of new powers after the county’s devolution deal reached a milestone moment in Parliament.

Investment which is a vital step towards eventually restoring scheduled flights to Blackpool Airport has taken another stride forward.

Residents in Fylde say the borough council could have done more to raise awareness and challenge controversial plans to site windfarm cables and substations across the area.

Blackburn with Darwen’s two new gritters have been given champion names to celebrate Rovers’ Premier League winning double strike force.

The number of councillors and the political map in another East Lancashire borough is to be reviewed.

Organisers of this year’s ‘Preston Weekender’ have confirmed that the event will return across the Bank Holiday weekend of May 3rd and 4th, 2025.

A delayed scheme to build a new community sports village alongside Blackpool Football Club looks set to be amended before the investment can begin.

Christmas is coming to Hyndburn, and light switch-on events are happening across the Borough.

Around £2m of the money so far spent on building Preston’s new cinema, restaurant and leisure complex has gone to companies within Central Lancashire, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

Plans to turn a private medical practice in Garstang into apartments have been approved by planners at Wyre.

Earlier this month, officers from East Lancashire were out conducting an underage sales operation as part of Operation Sceptre, a national week of action to tackle knife crime.

626 knives have been recovered throughout East Lancashire as part of Operation Sceptre, a national week-long initiative to tackle knife crime.

The family of a woman who died following a collision in Bamber Bridge last month have paid tribute to her.

Police have arrested five men and two women as part of an investigation into theft of prescription drugs from pharmacies in East Lancashire.

A man has been jailed for more than five years for manufacturing a firearm.

Fylde Council has launched the procurement process for the new contract to manage St Annes swimming pool.

Hyndburn Council and Morgan Sindall Construction welcomed County Councillors Aidy Riggott and Carole Haythornthwaite for a site visit to see how the exciting scheme is shaping up.

Police have charged a teenager following disorder in Bacup town centre.

Over 400 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 which took place last week.

Abingdon Street Market’s retail area has already reached one year of trading.

A new food outlet is set to open on the site of a former car showroom in Preston – but mystery still surrounds the company that will be operating it.

Council chiefs will start seeking a new developer early next year after plans for a £300m leisure scheme in the heart of Blackpool collapsed.

One of Blackpool’s oldest pubs has re-opened following a £200,000 investment which included rebuilding the front of the venue which was at risk of collapse.