Preston, Leyland & Chorley News

A criminal gang who smuggled drugs and phones into prisons in Preston and Lancaster have been given lengthy jail sentences.

Better bus links in Preston, Chorley and South Ribble will be starting this month. 

A man seriously injured in an assault in Preston last week has died.

An innovative new traffic management tool that aims to improve reliability for buses in real time through the power of AI is being trialled in Preston.

Police have charged a man following two burglaries in Preston.

Intelligent traffic lights that reduce the need for vehicles to stop and start will form a key part of plans to cut congestion on one of the busiest routes in Central Lancashire.

Teams from local businesses and charities across Preston will come together at the University of Central Lancashire’s Sports Arena to compete in the third Preston City Games 2025.

Illegal cigarettes and vapes worth around £2000 have been seized after a multi-agency day of action in Plungington.

A burglar who targeted multiple homes in Preston City Centre has been jailed for more than six years.

Calls have been made for bus fares to be reduced back to £2 a trip.

The Council Tax Support scheme in Preston is changing to help more working age people pay their council tax bills, depending on their circumstances.

A proposed new regional bank will have its headquarters in Preston, it has emerged.

A Chorley councillor has been convicted of assaulting a member of the public in the town hall.

An investigation is underway after a man was seriously injured in an assault in Preston.

Lancashire Police have thanked motorists for their patience after a stretch of the M6 had be closed for more than 18 hours.

Plans are afoot to try to ensure the historic Preston Guild festival survives the abolition of the council responsible for staging it.

Preston City Council has successfully commissioned the Activation of Active Travel Programme to four local providers who will support residents to become happier and healthier as they get more active through cycling, wheeling and walking.

Solar panels are to be installed on the roof Preston’s Fulwood Leisure Centre to help reduce its energy bills and ensure it remains open.

Lancashire highways bosses have revealed they plan to carry out 126 road resurfacing schemes over the next 12 months.

Lancashire Police have seized drugs and cash as part of a national crackdown on cannabis cultivation. 

Police are appealing for information and footage following an affray in Chorley.

Controversial plans to expand Preston’s borders have been abandoned.

Two Preston city parks have been given the green light for a multi-million pound revamp by the city’s Planning Committee this week.

The Cumberland Building Society has announced an investment in its Preston branch which will temporarily close while improvement works are carried out.

Police are appealing for information after a man died following a collision in Chorley.

In recent months, Preston City Council has identified numerous empty buildings within the city centre where community safety, preventing anti-social behaviour and/or preserving their heritage value needs to be addressed.

The vast majority of children due to attend secondary school in Lancashire will get to go to their preferred school this September, it has been confirmed.

A convicted paedophile who downloaded almost 400 indecent images of children has been jailed.

Police are appealing for information and footage following a fatal collision in Fulwood.

Chorley Council is raising its portion of council tax for the coming financial year by just under 3%.

Lancashire County Council’s share of Council Tax is to rise by almost 5%, as the authority set out their spending plans for the next year.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after reports of an assault in Preston city centre.

Defining Chorley’s future as a top visitor destination, an ambitious destination management plan has been launched.

Councillors expressed concern about the ballooning number of bedsits in and around Chorley town centre – moments before approving dozens more of them.

It will cost more than £1m to replace the ageing traffic lights at five major junctions in Preston.

Preston’s new cinema and leisure complex will become “a great centre to the city”, according to Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park.

The second stage of a scheme to replace traffic lights at key junctions in Preston is set to begin next week.

Police are appealing for information and footage after an elderly woman suffered serious injuries following a collision.

Part of one of Preston’s oldest pubs will be demolished, while its historic frontage will be given a facelift after plans to preserve the historic building were given the green light.

A host of improvements to boost sustainable travel and increase connectivity by rail to Manchester and Preston and elsewhere in the region could be in the pipeline for five train stations in and around Chorley.

The Honorary Freeman of Preston Nick Park CBE, multi-award winning filmmaker and Preston-born creator of the animated, loveable heroes Wallace & Gromit, will be visiting his hometown to officially open the city’s £45m+ Animate entertainment and leisure destination. 

Local station brings live show from the first full day of the ARC Cinema, featuring exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes insights.

Registration is now open for the highly anticipated Chorley 10K and 2K Family Run, set to take place on Sunday, 4 May 2025.

Popular local podcast returns with more fascinating stories from the heart of Preston, hosted by former BBC broadcaster John Gillmore.

A series of digital display screens could be set to light up across Preston city centre – complete with a lifesaving piece of kit.

Lancashire County Council is planning to raise council tax by 4.99 percent at its budget next week.

Mayor Phil Crowe issues light-hearted social media plea, warning of a notorious animated villain ahead of the grand opening of Preston’s new Animate complex this Friday.

Police have charged a man following the death of a 57-year-old man in June last year.

Officers have seized three off-road bikes and a quad bike which were being driven in an anti-social manner.

Preston’s new youth zone is planning to offer 40 hours of activities a week when it opens later this year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands.

Chorley’s annual literary event, 'What’s your story, Chorley?' is back across Chorley Town Centre next month.

Two men who were involved in an attack on a man in his own home, have been given sentences totalling 30 years.

A further five people have been sent to prison for their involvement in a Preston cocaine supply gang which was uncovered by Lancashire Police.

The great Astley Hall in Chorley celebrated 100 years of being open to the public last year by inviting people to share their memories and stories.

Preston City Council is launching a night service for rough sleepers in the city.

Mark Wynn has been selected as the new chief executive of Lancashire County Council.

Details have been revealed of the design of a new primary school set to be built on the outskirts of Preston.

Global superstar DJ Pete Tong, and one of the UKs biggest bands of the 90s, Embrace, are to headline this year’s ‘Preston Weekender’.

The construction of the highly anticipated Farington cricket facility in Lancashire has reached a significant milestone, with steel work for the new pavilion now underway.

Chorley Council is considering whether to change how often it empties residents’ bins.

The boss of the trust that runs Chorley and South Ribble Hospital has said the closure of one of its wards is among the “real-world impacts” of the financial difficulties facing the organisation.

Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, was in Preston today, as he made a pledge over the future of nuclear power in the UK.

The final phase of Harris Your Place, a £16 million initiative aimed at restoring and reimagining The Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library has begun, marking a significant milestone for the project and setting the stage for a 2025 reopening.

A man remains in a serious condition in hospital after a collision on the M6 near Preston this week.

A new sports venue, ‘Just Padel’, has officially opened in Preston this week, transforming the long-vacant Staples Office Outlet on Corporation Street into a thriving hub for the increasingly popular sport of padel.

Preston City Council has re-signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

Preston will not lose any of the £20m it was awarded in ‘levelling up’ cash – in spite of changing how it plans to spend it.

A man who travelled by taxi from Yorkshire to Lancashire where he attempted to break into houses in Chorley, has been jailed. 

Councillors are set to approve plans which will create extra school places in Lancashire for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

It will be May at the earliest before all of the outlets signed up for Preston’s new cinema and leisure complex are open.

A cheap peak-time bus fare for disabled passengers is set to be scrapped across much of Lancashire – along with free bus passes for some of the county’s young people.

A drug dealer who was caught with a suitcase full of cannabis has been jailed.

Details have been revealed about how Preston’s distinctive row of red phone boxes will be kept in pristine condition once the booths return to their city centre home this spring.

Residents in Chorley are being asked for their views on budget proposals ahead of a full council meeting in March, where the final budget will be considered.   

Seven members of a drugs gang who were involved in transporting cocaine into Preston and then distributing it, have been given prison sentences totalling nearly 50 years. 

The former Wilko store on Preston’s Deepdale Shopping Park is being readied for reopening – but as what remains a mystery.

The cost of Lancashire police to households is set to rise by the maximum permitted 5.31 per cent from April 1.

A “significant” amount of extra money will have to be invested in the upkeep of the Royal Preston Hospital now that its replacement is well over a decade away.

Preston City Council is ramping up its recycling efforts with the continuation of its "Join Us" campaign, supported by Beyondly and Pledge2Recycle Plastics.

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

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.

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.

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.

Plans are set to be discussed to transform how the council approaches gully cleaning with the aim to ensure that all of the council's 294,000 road gullies are visited on a regular schedule.

Chorley is preparing to launch The Sunday Session, a brand-new live music event aimed at discovering and promoting local talent across the county.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Neil Atherton, affectionately known as the “Bus Walker,” is gearing up for his first challenge of 2025.

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

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.

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

Park Hall Hotel and Spa, situated near Chorley in the heart of Lancashire, is celebrating the reopening of its fully refurbished swimming pool.

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.

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.

Fire bosses say 'You could be putting your life at risk' if you run your dryer whilst you sleep

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.

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.

We've got a full list of Christmas events and activities in Lancashire

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

The restoration of Preston’s Moor Park did not begin in earnest until last week – more than two months after the Radio 2 In The Park gig that left parts of it a muddy wasteland.

Some big changes are planned, a new date and a new venue.

A burglar who targeted businesses and student accommodation buildings in Preston has been jailed.

Officers from Chorley and South Ribble’s Neighbourhood Policing team have teamed up with Trading Standards and young volunteers from across the area to conduct an under-age sales operation.

Lancaster on Ice is set to return to the picturesque Dalton Square in Lancaster, bringing festive cheer to the city.

A man has received a lengthy prison sentence after he attempted to murder a man in his own home last Christmas.

A new apartment block is to be built in Preston city centre in spite of concerns about its height.

An investigation into a fire which caused significant damage to a building on Church Street, Preston, is continuing.

A new McDonald’s drive-thru is set to open on the site of a disused pub in Chorley – but councillors have stepped in to prevent it operating around the clock.

As the excitement builds for Chorley’s Christmas Lights Switch On taking place on Sunday, Chorley Council and Chorley FC have made a further exciting announcement about the special guests.

The University of Central Lancashire has teamed up with the Chorley Taxi Association to capture people’s views on taxi use in the county.

Preston City Council has said it will “vigorously” defend itself after it was threatened with being sued – potentially for more than £2m – by another local authority 240 miles away.

A woman has died in hospital following a collision in Bamber Bridge last month.

Preston's Christmas Lights Switch On is set to be a Christmas cracker this year.

Coronation Street and Benidorm star Tony Maudsley plus singer Nathan Moore have been revealed as the special guests doing the honours of turning Leyland’s Christmas Lights On for 2024.

Chorley’s Christmas Lights Switch On will return at the weekend, and this year are being switched on by a boyband star.

An estate made up entirely of affordable homes is to be built on the outskirts of Preston.

Lancashire will need to see an eight-fold increase in the number of electric vehicle charging points by the end of the decade, it has been estimated.

A man who organised cross-Channel small boat crossings from his home in Preston has been jailed for 17 years after being found guilty of people smuggling charges, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.

Video

The horrible moment caught on a doorbell camera as a woman is told “I hope you get [cancer]”

A raft of new and refurbished sports facilities are set to be installed in a Preston park as part of a £3.2m revamp.

The speed limits on several roads in Chorley are set to be cut over safety concerns.

The refurbishment of one of Lancashire’s oldest swimming baths has been branded a “waste of money” after it emerged the general public can now use the facility for just three hours a week.

Work will continue on plans to build brand new hospitals for Preston and Lancaster as Lancashire NHS bosses await the outcome of a government review of the schemes, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands.

A sniffer dog has hunted down thousands of hidden illegal vapes and cigarettes as part of a crackdown at shops across Preston.

The number of patients admitted to hospital in Central Lancashire with malnutrition has leapt in the space of a year.

Police asking for your help after a 12-year-old boy suffered serious injuries following a collision.

A man is in hospital with burns after an explosion at a house in Preston.

Lancashire businesses may have to make staff cuts and put up prices as a result of some of the measures announced in the budget, a group representing many of them has warned.

Starting in December, Preston City Council will introduce a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in partnership with Preston Police to address crime and anti-social behaviour in key areas of the city centre.

Preston’s long-awaited youth zone is expected to be built by next summer and open just months later, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands.

The operator of a student accommodation facility in Preston wants its tenants to be able to stay on once they have graduated and got a job.

A women’s charity in Chorley in its 40th year has been given a £10,000 boost to improve its centre.

A primary school that promises to offer its pupils “activity-based learning” is set to open in a Preston suburb.

A former betting shop in a residential area of Preston could become a microbar.

Concerns have been raised over the security of one of Preston’s most significant historical buildings after it was struck by vandals and fly-tippers.

Two brothers have been given prison sentences totalling almost 30 years after raping and sexually assaulting a number of children.

Police are appealing for information and footage after a woman was left with serious injuries following a collision in Bamber Bridge.

It would cost £100m more to carry out all of the maintenance work needed at the Royal Preston Hospital than official figures suggest.

A Lancashire council leader has launched a defence of private school arrangements amid government plans to introduce VAT on their fees.

There is only one unit left to be filled within Preston’s new cinema and leisure complex as it nears the final stage of its development, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

The popular free family event, Astley Illuminated, returns next month with magnificent light displays, entertainment and more.

A Preston man has been jailed for raping and strangling a woman following an investigation by Lancashire Police.

Part of Preston city centre is to get a new night-time look with the installation of dozens of distinctive streetlights.

A run-down sports facility in Chorley is set to get a new pavilion which will mean football can once again be played on the site.

More than 50 Lancashire funeral homes have so far been inspected after the government recommended local councils check up on the undertakers operating in their area.

A Chorley traveller community who moved onto greenbelt land in the borough 15 years ago and have been fighting for the right to stay there ever since have been granted their wish by councillors.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a man died in a collision on the M61 motorway.

A man has been jailed after numerous shoplifting offences in Preston.