Central Radio News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A veteran Leyland politician is set to take over as the leader of South Ribble Borough Council – just weeks after losing his seat on another local authority on which he served.

The Green Party and a group of independent councillors have joined forces to become the official opposition to Reform UK on Lancashire County Council.

Fylde Council has awarded £167,650 to AFC Fylde Community Foundation to continue delivering targeted employment and skills support across the borough, a major step in boosting local opportunities and preparing residents for the jobs of tomorrow.

An East Lancashire MP has called for the government to invest in the ‘left behind’ towns in his Rossendale and Darwen constituency.

A cyclist has been left seriously injured following a crash in Thornton-Cleveleys.

Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool is reintroducing Non-Rider eTickets for the first time in six years.

Long-serving Conservative Cllr Jacqueline Slater has been installed as the new Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen for 2025/26.

Weekly household food waste collections and changes to bins and recycling are being considered by Lancaster City Council.

Two people were rescued after getting stuck in mud last night.

The boroughs of Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde all have new mayoral teams who have now taken up the chains of office for the year ahead.

A shoplifter from Chorley has been jailed for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) preventing him from entering shops in the town.

A “rising star” prison governor has been jailed for nine years after having a relationship with a Liverpool drug gang boss, according to the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Four members of an East Lancashire organised crime group who were responsible for smuggling drugs into a prison have been jailed for just over 18 years.

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

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

A new playground has opened at a thriving special school.

A report has found that a landfill site falls within safety standards.

Resurfacing works will be carried out by highways workers in Blackpool this week.

A man in his 70s has died after a crash in East Lancashire.

It seems some of the noisiest neighbours in the UK are in Blackpool.

A free event in Preston is set to focus on mental wellbeing.

A new Mayor has been elected in Fylde.

A woman has been arrested following an attempted abduction in Blackpool.

Police have uncovered a large cannabis farm at a property in Freckleton.

The leadership of the Reform UK group that has taken control of Lancashire County Council will be decided on Monday.

Fire crews were called to a church on Thursday night after reports that the roof was in flames.

A violent thug who assaulted a young toddler and left him with a fractured skull has been jailed. 

A new headquarters for more than 3,000 civil servants has opened in Blackpool, bringing more jobs to the area and boosting the local economy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fylde Council has approved the introduction of two fully electric vehicles to its operational fleet.

Two pedestrians were hit by a car on a busy road in Leyland yesterday afternoon.

A telecoms firm wants to install six new hi-tech payphone kiosks in Blackburn and Darwen.

Two new roads at a major Blackpool business park expansion have been named by local school children.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A motorcycle rider has died following a collision in Chorley.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blackburn’s outer circle bus route scrapped in 2016 will start to run again next month – with a new service to and from Ewood Park for midweek Rovers home games.

As families head to the coast to enjoy the Easter school break, the RNLI has revealed the results of a survey which shows large gaps in tidal knowledge.

If you’re looking for some family friendly things to do over the Easter school holiday, then Chorley is the place to be.

A company which has managed air shows around the world has been chosen to take charge of Blackpool Air Show now in its 115th year.

Darwen’s historic town hall is to close next month for several weeks for a £350,000 refurbishment.

Police in Burnley have charged a man with sexually assaulting two underage girls.

Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes worth £25,000 have been seized in Burnley.

Lancashire Police will be conducting both high visibility and plain clothed patrols across the county’s pubs and clubs this Easter as part of its continued efforts to crack down on crime, including violence against women and girls.

A controversial housing scheme in Thornton has been approved by Wyre’s planning committee – pending a key agreement.

Part of a renovated building in Preston city centre is set to be converted into a takeaway and shop – after a plan to reopen it as a pub was abandoned.

Lancashire Police seized 51 off road vehicles after successfully executing a multi-departmental operation across the county last weekend as part of Op Centurion.

Ambitious plans to build a new M&S store at Norcross have created much interest – but concerns have been expressed this week about its effect on local trade as well as nearby roads.

The site of what was one of Blackpool’s most luxurious stores in its heyday is set for a new lease of life after proposals to transform the building were given the go ahead.

Blackpool’s Tramtown museum is gearing up to re-open to visitors this Easter in a move which will help preserve the town’s famous fleet of heritage trams for the future.

Police are investigating following the discovery of a large cannabis farm at a property on Burnley Road, Crawshawbooth.

A man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a woman following a fatal collision in Nelson.

A fourth person has been arrested by Lancashire Police following a stabbing near to Moor Park in Preston on Monday afternoon.

Recently, police renewed appeals for information in the hope of solving the mystery surrounding the tragic death of a newborn baby boy in Kirkham more than 13 years ago. 

Rossendale’s Marl Pits Leisure Centre looks set for a £1.4million grant boost for new heating equipment and other measures to cut energy use, emissions and bills.

Detailed plans for Blackpool’s £65m Multiversity education campus have got the go ahead after the council’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposals.

Fylde Council has announced a new opportunity for developers and operators to bring the rapidly growing sport of padel tennis to Fairhaven Lake and Gardens.

A man has been jailed for more than four years after twice being arrested in possession of large amounts of drugs in Preston.

Three people have been arrested after a stabbing in Preston.

Preston’s much-loved Egg Rolling event is back this Easter Monday, promising a day packed with fun, entertainment, and tradition.

Preston’s Encounter Festival will return on Saturday, September 20, marking its tenth anniversary with its most ambitious programme yet.

A major new estate of almost 450 homes planned for the suburbs of Preston will feature more than half a dozen different sizes and types of property – ranging from one-bedroom apartments to four bedroom detached houses.

An East Lancashire football club needs a new land lease agreement to help it upgrade its ground in an era of change.

Trees are being planted in urban spaces across Blackpool thanks to a £1.8m fund.

People across Chorley town centre were celebrating the written, spoken and sung word this weekend at literary festival ‘What’s Your Story, Chorley?, with over 30 authors, poets, actors, artists and musicians taking part.

Work on repairing the roof of Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre will start in June with a scheduled completion date of October.

Firefighters from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service are tackling a fire on the Shadsworth Industrial Estate, Sett End Road in Blackburn.

Detectives investigating the death of a baby in Fulwood have charged a man with his murder.

The government has refused to back a bid by Wyre Council to prevent any more new homes being given the go-ahead in an area with heightened levels of a cancer-causing chemical.

A new exhibition highlighting Blackpool’s crucial role in sustaining national morale during the Second World War is set to open at the resort’s Showtown museum.

Senior councillors have called for the temporary closure of a major East Lancashire rubbish tip plagued by smells and flocks of gulls.

Blackpool is no longer the town with the highest rate of children living in care as efforts to keep families together are achieving results.

Maternity services in Blackpool continue to be monitored at a national level but a new report says an action plan to improve care is close to completion.

Officers and staff from Lancashire Police were joined by the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw, alongside contractors Willmott Dixon at the site of the new Pendle Police Station as it reaches a significant point of its build.

A man has been jailed for historic sexual offences against a ten-year-old-girl in Blackburn.

A plan to build a new waste transfer site in Bacup, which prompted hundreds of objections, has been cancelled.

A man has been charged with exposure after an alleged incident in Blackpool.

A Fleetwood man was found in possession of £20,000 worth of drugs following a stop.

Town centre offices which have been empty since 2018 look set to finally secure planning permission for redevelopment after previous attempts have failed.