Central Radio News

A huge illuminated drone display over Stanley Park caught many people out this week as they were driving past.

People in Blackburn with Darwen can access free support across key public venues.

The completion of two key projects for the regeneration of Accrington town square has slipped back to July next year.

A child rapist from East Lancashire has been given a sentence totalling 16 years.

Preston City Council has put forward a raft of measures at a cost of over £800,000 that will support residents on the lowest incomes as the cost of living crisis continues.

Blackpool looks set to get a new bowling alley as details of new leisure plans at the former Odeon Cinema have been revealed for the first time.

Controversial plans to develop a quarry in a quiet Over Wyre village have been thrown out today – prompting spontaneous applause in a council chamber.

One of Blackpool’s most distinctive festivals has been extended – bringing some extra colour and brightness to the dark nights of autumn.

The repurposing of Great Harwood’s historic Mercer Hall has taken a major step forward towards its reopening schedule for December.

Ambitious plans to build a sizable food store at Norcross may have been approved – but planners have stipulated the application was not specific to M&S.

Amir Morani Fireworks, a pyrotechnics team from India, have been crowned the first champions of Blackpool’s annual World Fireworks competition.

A Burnley man has been jailed in his absence for the attempted rape of an 11-year-old girl.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a fatal collision in Kirkham over the weekend.

The opening dates for two young people’s hubs after the completion of multi-million pound revamps have been revealed.

Lancashire County Council has insisted that the futures of 10 elderly care facilities have not yet been decided – after it was accused of making up its mind to close them before a public consultation has taken place.

Two burglars who targeted homes in Roughlee have been jailed for a total of over six years.

A rescue mission off Blackpool was halted when a laser was shone at a search helicopter.

Two Fylde community groups are set to bring more colour and creativity to the area after receiving support from the Community Projects Fund.

A café owner in Colne is trying to track down the customer who left half a set of dentures behind at her coffee shop.

A man who abused his vulnerable partner before she took her own life has been charged with perverting the course of justice – along with his girlfriend and mother.

Blackpool Transport has been named Tram Operator of the Year at the prestigious National Transport Awards, following a year of major service improvements and the opening of the new North Station extension.

A plan for future school provision in Lancashire has been given the green light this week.

Blackpool has been selected to join the inaugural class of a new European city leadership initiative – and the move is expected to benefit the town in key ways.

Show homes are now open for inspection at a new housing development in Thornton – but a ward councillor says a chance has been missed to preserve a precious archaeological site on the land.

Problems with the cameras set up to monitor Preston’s newest bus lane are the reason that motorists are not yet being fined if they break the rules, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

A teenager has appeared in court after his girlfriend was left with life-changing injuries caused by his dangerous riding of an e-scooter.

A man has been jailed for assaulting staff while a patient at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

A woman has been jailed after attempting to abduct a baby girl in Blackpool.

Amended plans have been submitted to Preston City Council for the full demolition of the Tithebarn Pub.

A Colne man who groomed a 12-year-old girl in Colne, before going onto rape her, has been jailed for 16 years and 10 months.

Police have arrested a man following the discovery of a cannabis grow in Leyland.

There will be an enhanced tram timetable to help visitors during the final performance in the World Fireworks Championships 2025, says Blackpool Transport.

A new £2million home for children with complex mental health needs and challenging behaviour is to be developed by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

A call has been made for the removal of Rolf Harris’ name from Blackpool’s famous Comedy Carpet because of the late entertainer’s conviction for sexual offences.

A host of outdoor pursuits including tomahawk axe-throwing, air rifle shooting and archery are planned at a forest school site in Rossendale.

A new ‘sports village’ could be created on the outskirts of Preston as part of plans to build up to 250 homes.

Preston’s St. John’s Shopping Centre could be flattened to make way for more than 500 apartments, a new NHS neighbourhood health facility and a smaller number of replacement shops.

Youth football teams in Pendle potentially face having to leave a college’s playing fields in Colne.

A man has been left with life changing injuries following a collision in Leyland.

A further phase of soil sampling is underway in Thornton-Cleveleys as part of an ongoing inspection related to historic activity at a nearby chemical facility.

The co-founder of Lytham Festival is calling for extra late-night rail services after next year’s closing show.

A brand-new outdoor ice rink is coming to Preston city centre this Christmas, promising festive fun for all ages under the historic Preston Market canopy.

Fourteen people have been arrested and drugs and weapons seized following a major police operation targeting county lines drug dealing and the criminal exploitation of young people in Blackpool.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a collision involving a police vehicle and a car in Fleetwood on Tuesday.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following a serious collision that left a man with serious injuries on the M55.

AI bots are to be deployed alongside call centre staff at Lancashire County Council to assist with answering residents’ queries.

Leyland’s annual Music in the Park event has been axed amid a surge in the prices charged by artists on the concert circuit – and no sign of the gig breaking even anytime soon.

The most successful duo in UK music history, Pet Shop Boys, are heading Lytham Festival 2026.

Blackpool Football Club say they’re ‘appalled’ that a racist message was received by one of their players via social media.

Illegal e-bikes, e-scooters and off-road bikes have been seized from the streets in Blackburn as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour.

The opening of a controversial and problem-plagued new East Lancashire sports and fitness centre will be celebrated with a weekend of free events and taster sessions later this month.

Blackpool’s N-Vision sight loss charity has announced a range of new services for Lancashire.

Fylde Council is calling for government support to protect local housing for its residents.

Fourteen new surveillance cameras will soon be installed across Preston city centre as part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to making streets safer for everyone.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has received expert advice that there was nothing it could have done to prevent the tragic incident in which a mother of two was killed by a falling branch in one of its parks.

A man has been jailed after admitting multiple rape charges.

The Harris’ spectacular reopening weekend saw thousands of visitors flocking to experience the blockbuster 'Wallace & Gromit in A Case at the Museum' exhibition and explore the £19 million transformed cultural landmark.

GRAMMY nominated musician Teddy Swims has been announced as the first 2026 Lytham Festival headliner.

A family have paid tribute to a ‘clever, caring and compassionate’ teenager who died in a fatal collision near Blackburn earlier this week.

Work to renovate an iconic Blackpool town centre building has completed, as it prepares for a new future as a hub for growing local businesses.

As The Harris prepares to welcome visitors back through its doors, excitement is building for its reopening exhibition, Wallace and Gromit in A Case at the Museum.

A man been jailed for more than 20 years after subjecting a young woman to a horrific kidnap and rape ordeal in Leyland.

Motorists are being warned that Fishergate bus lane in Preston city centre will become operational again from next week.

Residents and visitors can follow a journey of discovery as Fylde Council’s Head of Tourism, Tim Dixon, sets off on a three-day, 40-mile adventure walking the district border of Fylde in aid of the Mayoral charities.

A man has been arrested after drugs were discovered when a car was stopped in Darwen.

In preparation for the Government’s new Simpler Recycling legislation, Blackpool is set to trial a new waste collection system designed to make recycling easier and more accessible for residents.

Police have charged a man with murder following the death of Gary Carlisle in Preston.

24 illegal off-road bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters have been seized in Burnley as part of a day of action to tackle anti-social behaviour and nuisance vehicles.

Anti-fracking campaigners in Lancashire have urged the government to fulfil a manifesto pledge to ban the process “for good”.

VisitBlackpool, organisers of World Fireworks Championship Blackpool, have confirmed a new date for the cancelled show from Team India, which was due to take place on Saturday 13 September. 

A woman in her 60s has died after being hit by a lorry in Colne.

Preston Pride, the celebration of the city’s LGBTQ+ community, has announced details of the 2025 event later this month.

Wyre Council are looking for a new operator for the leisure centres in Garstang, Fleetwood, Poulton, and Thornton.

A new cricket ‘dome’ has opened in Darwen allowing players to pursue the sport in all weathers.

Blackpool Council has used grant funding to purchase the former post office, a key development site in the town centre, to secure and safeguard its future. 

A senior hospital consultant has been jailed for six years after abusing his position to sexually assault female members of staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Burnley town centre was firing on all cylinders over the weekend as visitors from across the region flocked to the return of the Vintage & Performance Car Show.

The progress of one of Blackpool’s biggest regeneration projects has been discussed this week as the next steps forward are considered.

The centrepiece of Preston’s revamped Harris Museum has been revealed ahead of the historic building’s long-awaited reopening later this month.

A former world champion boxer from the Fylde coast has paid tribute to close pal Ricky Hatton after his sudden unexpected death aged just 46.

The site of a former Blackpool pub could become a temporary car park.

A teacher from Preston says she was reduced to tears after being threatened with bailiffs for failing to pay a traffic fine that she knew nothing about for almost a year.

A man has died after a tree branch fell on his tent in a park in Blackpool.

A businessman who was thwarted in his plans to transform a Grade II listed radar station into a unique house in Fleetwood says he is not giving up on his dream.

It was once Fleetwood’s cherished M&S store and then during a dark period became its biggest eyesore, before making a welcome comeback.

A woman has been given a hospital order after pleading guilty to manslaughter in East Lancashire.

An East Lancashire councillor has resigned over a social media comment she posted about the assassination of American right-wing figure Charlie Kirk being ‘good riddance’.

Proposed changes intended to fix a problem roundabout described as ‘dangerous’ will not alleviate the key issues, says a road campaigner.

A proposed windfarm project would see underground cables laid through parts of Wyre – including environmentally sensitive parts of Fleetwood and Thornton – if plans progress.

The growth of women and girls’ football in Rossendale, from large clubs to small community teams, and other sport and leisure trends were highlighted to councillors in a new report about local pitches and public demand.

A paedophile has been jailed after he was extradited from the United States to face justice for crimes he committed in East Lancashire almost 50 years ago.

The first round of work is under way to transform one of Blackpool’s most iconic pubs as part of a multi-million pound project.

The Environment Agency says it is investigating a ‘small liquid discharge’ close to the River Wyre from a controversial landfill site in Fleetwood.

A man from Blackburn has been convicted of sharing incident images of children on social media.

Seven different flags will be permitted to be flown above Lancashire County Council’s headquarters after the authority’s cabinet agreed a new policy that members said was designed to encourage a collective pride in country and county.

Two novel attractions new to Blackpool are being proposed for a seafront site close to the town’s famous South Pier.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal this week visited Lancashire Constabulary’s Headquarters in Hutton, Preston, for the launch of Victim Care Lancashire.

Two e-scooters were seized in Rishton last week as part of Operation Centurion.

It’s all set for Fleetwood Colour Run, a fun-packed family event on the beach which takes place this weekend.

A further 10 illegal E-bikes and E-scooters have been seized in Preston as part of another day of action to tackle anti-social behaviour and nuisance vehicles.

New proposals for two rides to operate either side of Blackpool’s famous South Pier have been thrown out by planners.

An organised crime group have been jailed after importing drugs from the USA to be supplied in Blackpool.

Councillors have sent education bosses back to the drawing board after telling them that the parking arrangements for a planned new primary school on the outskirts of Preston are devoid of “common sense”.

A pair of dilapidated phoneboxes in Preston city centre are to be replaced with a modern ‘digital hub’ offering free wi-fi.

This year's Encounter festival will once again provide a free programme of outdoor theatre shows, games, and live music at various locations around Preston City Centre.

Fylde Council has agreed a contract extension with the YMCA to operate St Annes Swimming Pool until the end of March next year.

An attempt to transform a Grade II listed radar station into a unique house with remarkable views over a beach has been thrown out by planners.

Marks & Spencer has responded to rumours that the chain is to close its Blackpool town centre store.

Poulton could get another new housing development – comprising more than 200 homes – if plans are approved.

Blackpool is set to light up the skies once again as it launches a thrilling new chapter in its firework championships.

A drug dealer who crashed his car into a tree trying to get away from police in Bamber Bridge has been jailed.

Friends and family have got together to pay glowing tribute to a much loved midwife who tragically died aged just 37.

Lancashire residents, businesses and community groups are being invited to have their say on the biggest council shake-up in the county for more than 50 years.

A bold new initiative aimed at helping to restore civic pride is sweeping its way across Lancashire.

Fewer cancers are diagnosed before they start to spread in Lancashire and South Cumbria than across most other parts of England.

Lancashire’s district councils are being encouraged to start emptying general household waste bins only once every three weeks, it has been claimed.

A £750,000 plus energy-efficiency upgrade a major East Lancashire fitness and recreation hub has been completed.

The leader of the Conservative group on Preston City Council has defected to Reform UK, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

A £40m plan has been unveiled for a 30-storey tower in Preston — set to become Lancashire’s tallest building. 

Pop superstar Olly Murs is set to light up Blackpool tonight as the headline performer for the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On event.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of illegal cigarettes and vapes have been seized after a joint operation in Preston.

A man from Preston - the mastermind of one of the UK’s biggest ever carousel tax frauds - has been ordered to pay back more than £90 million.

A man has admitted to fatally assaulting a man in Leyland.

Two men and a boy have been arrested after police stopped a car on the M6 near Preston.

If you go down to Cleveleys seafront this weekend you might be mistaken in thinking you’ve walked onto the set of a Star Wars production.

Plans have been unveiled to build a 30-storey tower block in Preston city centre that would become the tallest residential or office building anywhere in Lancashire.

Residents in Fylde have a chance to find out more about proposals which could bring electric cables through the borough to connect an offshore wind farm to the national grid at Penwortham.

St Annes International Kite Festival makes a return at the end of this week and continues throughout the weekend.

Fylde Council is urging residents to attend upcoming community information events about Ørsted’s proposed East Irish Sea Transmission Project, which could bring electricity cables through the borough to connect an offshore wind farm to the national grid at Penwortham.

Delays in kitting out dozens of new minibuses bought by Lancashire County Council to help cut the costs of transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities mean only half of them will be ready to come into service at the start of the new school year.

An East Lancashire local authority has taken to Facebook to combat ‘fear and intolerance’ after a property in the borough rumoured to be being turned into a house of multiple occupation or “illegal migrant housing” was hit by a possible arson attack.

Blackpool is preparing for one of the most magical nights in its calendar when, for one night only, the six miles of Promenade will be closed to give cyclists a sneak preview of this year’s Illuminations.

Marton Mere Holiday Village in Blackpool is planning to site extra static caravans on the park.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s environmental crime team have secured another nine waste prosecutions for eight people, totalling almost £5,000.

Work to build another 20,000sqft of industrial units at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone has reached a key stage.

Developers behind ambitious proposals to build a new M&S food hall at Norcross have responded to a long list of concerns raised via a huge public reaction.

A mother whose unborn baby was killed by a dangerous driver has spoken of the devastating impact on her life.

Four men have been jailed following the discovery of a cannabis farm in Blackpool.

A man who sexually and physically assaulted a woman in East Lancashire has been jailed.

An e-bike rider has been jailed for causing the death of 86-year-old man in Burnley.

The contract for the roof repairs to Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre will go out to tender later this month with works set to start urgently.

Marks and Spencer have unveiled plans for a major expansion of their store on Preston’s Deepdale Shopping Park.

All future options for potential waste transfer sites available to Pendle Council will increase costs, after a Lancashire County Council agreement with a landfill site in Hyndburn ends next year, councillors are being advised.

Blackpool’s Showtown museum of fun and entertainment is calling on little people to help lead a pioneering new project.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a woman very sadly died following a collision in Lytham over the weekend.

Blackpool’s former Abingdon Street Post Office is on the brink of a multi-million pound transformation into a top-name hotel.

The date has been set for a drop-in session to discuss the ongoing odour issues with a landfill site in Fleetwood.

The new operator of Blackpool’s Backlot Cinema is set to take over this Friday – and has reassured customers that there will be no immediate changes.

A Blackpool man has avoided prison after admitting killing a motorcyclist while driving in Knott End.

A man has been jailed after admitting a strong of sex offences against a teenage girl.

Lancashire Police say arrests for drink and drug driving have risen by 20% compared to the same period last year.

There’s a new team out to lend assistance to passengers on Blackpool’s trams and buses – and their distinctive uniforms are hard to miss.

Plans to turn a vacant office building in Preston city centre into dozens of bedsits have been blocked – amid fears the location would prove too noisy for future residents.

Defender dragons, pampered pooches and wild wonders of the woodland are set to light up Blackpool, all created in collaboration with four nationally acclaimed artists.

A man has been jailed after leaving a baby with significant injuries in Burnley.

Police have charged 20 people and seized numerous weapons as part of an operation to tackle Class A drug dealing in Blackpool and the Fylde.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s finance boss has warned that the authority faces a potential cash gap of £7.8million by the end of the financial year based on spending figures for the three months to June 30.

A row has broken out over whether plans for a Lancashire school to teach some of its students maths using a teacher in Devon amount to a return to the remote learning of the Covid lockdown era.

Work is finally able to press ahead on multi-million pound regeneration plans at one of Blackpool’s most iconic pubs.

Chorley Council does not want traveller families in the borough, according to the representative of a community which has been told it must leave a site where it had hoped to create a permanent home.

Police are appealing for information and witnesses after a man was left seriously injured following a collision in Rivington.

Police are appealing for information and footage after serious collision in Blackpool.

Police have arrested three men following a fatal collision in Clayton-le-Woods on Thursday.

Police are investigating a serious collision after a car travelled the wrong way on the M65 in East Lancashire.

Police are appealing for information and footage after a pedestrian was fatally struck by a vehicle while crossing the road in Crawshawbooth on Friday night.

A man has been further charged with attempted murder as part of an investigation into two serious incidents in Accrington last month.

A cobbled street on the cusp of Preston's green city oasis Winckley Square is the focus for the final episode of the second series of The Parched Pea Podcast.

A leading swimming club member has welcomed Fylde Council’s move to officially regain ownership of the Kirkham Pool site – but he believes a longer term vision is needed.

A man who fatally stabbed a teenager in Ormskirk and then went on the run for 18 months has today been jailed for life.  

Morecambe Football Club has been suspended by the National League with immediate effect after failing to meet financial criteria.

A new £6.6 million bridge over the River Ribble is set to open by spring 2026.

A long-awaited revamp of one of the busiest roads in Central Lancashire is set to get the government funding needed to make it a reality.

Fleetwood’s iconic Tram Sunday – officially known as Fleetwood Festival of Transport – celebrates its 40th anniversary this weekend.

A gang who worked to flood the streets of East Lancashire with cocaine have been jailed.

A man from Burnley has been sent to prison for ten years for drug dealing.

Police have warned motorists after footage circulated online following a collision on the M6 in which nine people were injured.

The price of parking at Preston Bus Station is to increase by 20 percent.

Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Lorraine Beavers has joined calls for action to be taken over Norcross roundabout and the continued congestion problems on parts of the A585.

Volunteers are helping to ensure that rail visitors arriving directly outside Blackpool’s famous Pleasure Beach Resort have a good impression before they even enter the amusement park.

A new film festival is being launched on the Fylde coast which has an international dimension and also invites local filmmakers to take part.

Major changes coming in for Blackpool’s bin collections have met with an unfavourable reaction from some residents, although others have been more supportive.

A taxi driver who engaged in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl while working as a taxi driver in Burnley, has been jailed.

A man has been jailed for 12 years and nine months at Preston Crown Court following an investigation into a stabbing which took place in Ingol last September.

Police have served a closure order at an illegal waste site in Great Harwood.

It has been an eyesore since it closed seven years ago but finally Blackpool’s former police station is coming down.

Huge changes to Blackpool’s bin collections are on their way after getting the green light.

A petition has been set up in support of the continuation of the historic Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry service.

Campaigners against a stinking landfill site have welcomed confirmation that an end date is finally in sight.

Blackpool’s iconic heritage trams are on track for a return to service on the seafront this autumn as work is underway to get the trams and track ready.

BAE Systems has rejected a union’s claim that hundreds of jobs are at risk at its Lancashire military aircraft factories because the government has failed to order more of the Eurofighter Typhoon jet.

Preston’s iconic cultural landmark, The Harris, will officially reopen its doors to the public on Sunday, September 28.

A derelict pub in Preston city centre is to be partially demolished.

An innovative sports skills project for youngsters which launched two years ago is facing closure after losing a planning bid.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is to scrap some of its dedicated buses to four of the borough’s biggest secondary schools and increase fares for pupils on those that remain.

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has unveiled a new funding initiative aimed at supporting projects that address violence against women and girls across the county.

A new campaign has been launched to tackle street begging by asking people approached for cash to donate to local charities rather than hand over their change.

Plans to extend a Fylde coast community centre will provide the vital space needed to allow more activities there, say supporters of the project.

A man in his 30s has died after a crash on the A6 near Garstang.

A man has been jailed for 30 years after stabbing a man in a frenzied attack in Blackpool.

Major changes to Blackpool’s bin collection service – including domestic waste being collected every three weeks - are being considered by the council.