Central Radio News

There's just one year to go until the world's top cyclists race through Lancashire and our county is showcased to a global audience.

Two men have been jailed after a teenager was threatened with an imitation firearm and assaulted in Brierfield. 

Two men who burst their way into a house in Blackpool and robbed the householder of his mobile phone, have been jailed. 

This weekend will see one of the biggest military parades to march through Preston in many years, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, along with marking 100 years of the Cenotaph.

Blackpool Victoria Hospital has been granted planning permission to permanently retain a prefab building which was originally used for the Covid pandemic but has continued to be used.

Plans to close down a number of major roads near Burnley FC’s stadium on match days have been slammed by the town’s MP.

Ziggy played guitar…and now you can see it up close at Blackpool’s Showtown museum.

Residents impacted by unwanted odour in their homes from a Fleetwood landfill site are urged to continue to record incidents while an abatement notice is in place.

A multi-agency action plan launched in December to tackle retail crime and anti-social behaviour in Preston City Centre is already delivering positive results, six months on.

A Preston retailer who sold a knife to a 15-year-old during test purchasing has been fined £10,000.

North Pier, Blackpool's oldest and most iconic pier, has entered a new chapter, with a £10million investment programme planned.

Five, along with Lucy Spraggan and The Feeling have been revealed as the musical acts performing at this year’s Blackpool Illuminations Switch‑On.

Controversial plans to build 350 homes on the former Camelot Theme Park site in Chorley have been given the go-ahead – 12 years after the first bid was made to redevelop the derelict site.

Some Preston households may see their bin collection day changed for a second time since the spring in order to resolve problems that have arisen following a major shake-up of the city’s waste service.

The Blackpool South MP says the government has pledged to fund the first steps in building a world-class arena in the resort.

Owners of a Blackpool hotel where a child died after suffering an electric shock in the lobby have been fined £120,000 over health and safety offences.

A man who killed a teenage girl while driving at more than 110mph on the M65 has been jailed.

An update on plans to create a pet crematorium at Carleton is to be given by Blackpool Council after a question was asked about it at a public meeting.

The multi-million pound improvement works planned for Friargate South, Cheapside/Market Place and Orchard Street in Preston are due to get underway next week.

A man was arrested after a car was driven through road closures put in place for the annual Lytham Club Day parade.

Police are appealing for information and footage after a collision in Kirkham in which a man in his 80s died.

The public are being warned to avoid parts of a nature reserve after potential industrial contaminants were found in soil and water at the site.

Blackpool Council has spent nearly £6miliion improving road surfaces across the town, including repairing potholes, since the end of last year.

A 33 year-old woman who died following a tragic incident at a level crossing in Lancashire has been named as her family pay tribute to their much loved daughter, sister, partner and devoted mum.

Lancashire Police have issued a reminder to partygoers heading to Lytham Festival next week to have fun but stay safe.

A bike rider who was seriously injured after coming off his bike in Burnley has died.

A gang responsible for the supply of millions of pounds of drugs to the streets of Lancashire and beyond have been jailed for a total of more than 40 years.

The National Festival of Making is set to return to Blackburn next weekend with a blockbuster line-up – including a brand-new Film Festival.

A spectacular drone show will illuminate the skies above Stanley Park this October as part of a special anniversary weekend celebrating the park's centenary year.

The cost of taking a taxi in South Ribble could be set to increase after drivers asked for permission to put up fares.

Blackpool Council has released a statement clarifying its involvement with the tragic Preston Davey case.

Funding has been obtained for a long-proposed leisure development that will see a water sports lake, dry ski slope and mountain bike track created on the banks of the River Ribble in Preston.

Preston City Council has moved a step closer to striking a deal that will see local authority-owned social housing return to the area after an absence of more than two decades.

A Blackburn man who videoed himself sexually assaulting a young girl and had hundreds of indecent images of other children on a laptop and phone, has been jailed for 14 years. 

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a cyclist suffered serious injuries in Burnley.

An investigation has been launched after a train crashed into a car at a level crossing in Hoghton, killing the driver.

Councillors in Fylde have agreed that controversial plans to build nearly 50 new homes in the village of Weeton should be approved.

Plans to bring new homes to the former Woodlands site in Chorley have been given the green light.

A Poulton-le-Fylde man who had part of his leg removed during cancer treatment has walked 10million steps in a year – representing a million steps for each year he’s been cancer-free – to raise funds for charity.

Proposals for a north of England bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been welcomed in Blackpool and Lancashire.

Fans of Ken Dodd know the comedian famously came from Liverpool – and Knott Ash in particular – but he is also forever linked with Blackpool.

A Central Lancashire MP says Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation has created a “huge opportunity” for the government to be more bold in dealing with the daily challenges faced by households across the country.

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has called on Government to look again at the reclassification of Ketamine to a Class A drug.

Lancashire firefighters will be at the heart of a new service to tackle wildfires across the whole of England.

A special parkrun event will celebrate the centenary of Stanley Park – and it will include historic medals for participants.

We should continue to make the case for a new road bridge over the River Ribble near Preston, says the Ribble Valley MP.

The Chair of the Bar Council taught children how to disagree agreeably as she returned to her former primary school in Chorley.

More than a hundred cannabis plants have been seized and a man has been arrested after a cannabis farm was discovered in South Ribble.

Residents in the Fylde community of Weeton are objecting to proposals to build almost 50 new homes in the village.

A Blackburn school is seeking prior approval for a large upgrade to one of its buildings, with a bid to slash costs by fixing the roof while the sun is shining.

A road in Accrington that once had a number of office units on it is set to become a largely residential street, after an architecture firm was granted approval to convert its own headquarters.

Large quantities of illicit cigarettes, tobacco and medication were seized during a multi-agency operation in Nelson and Brierfield.  

A Nelson firm who sold a knife to a 16-year-old during a test purchasing sting has been ordered to pay more than £27,000.

Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards has issued an urgent food safety warning after a Preston restaurant and its director have been issued a £12,000 penalty for mis-selling dairy free burgers twice.

Preston’s iconic telephone boxes are set for a new lease of life following the approval of planning and other associated consents to repurpose the structures to become an eye-catching digital art installation in the heart of Preston’s cultural Harris Quarter.

Wyre Council is delighted to announce the completion of a major refurbishment at Thornton Health and Fitness Centre, following an investment of more than £230,000 to transform the gym facilities.

East Lancashire MPs have responded to Andy Burnham’s by-election win in Makerfield.

A comprehensive Health and Community Impact Report into odour emissions from the Jameson Road landfill site in Fleetwood has highlighted the ongoing impact on residents’ health and wellbeing.

A man has been jailed for 13 years for sexually assaulting two children.  

Jamie Varley has been sentenced to a whole life order and John McGowan-Fazakerley to 25 years in jail for the sexual abuse and murder of an innocent baby boy.

A huge regeneration project aimed at improving housing in Blackpool’s Revoe area took a major step forward today – but many residents are not welcoming it.

Four new ‘communication hubs’ are set to be rolled out in and around Preston city centre.

A Thornton councillor is calling for a plot of open land to be used as a designated community recreation area after year of campaigning.

A new supported living scheme has opened in Preston, which will provide long-term affordable accommodation for people with a learning disability and autistic people.

A former village butcher has been jailed for indecently assaulting two girls more than 50 years ago.

A total of 210 taxis have been stopped and inspected as part of large-scale safety operations across Preston, Chorley and South Ribble, bringing together police and partners to protect the public.

Wyre Council has worked in partnership with Blackpool Transport to introduce a temporary shuttle service in Fleetwood, ensuring continued access to the town centre and market following disruption to tram services on Lord Street. 

A man has been jailed for raping a child and filming her whilst doing so.

Blackpool should apply for city status and take advantage of the benefits, says a leading local businessman.

A restaurant owner in Blackpool has vowed to appeal over a decision to revoke his premises licence over illegal worker claims.

A government planning inspector has been told that building 350 homes on the former Camelot Theme Park site in Chorley would bring “a great deal of public good with precious little harm”.

A Lancashire council says it tried to persuade government officials not to put it into special measures after the authority rejected two major planning applications and had the decisions overturned on appeal.

A man has today been found guilty of murdering and sexually abusing a baby boy he was in the process of adopting. 

The Wyre Business Awards are back for 2026, and entries are now officially open for the borough’s biggest celebration of local business success. 

Residents are being invited to have their say on plans to expand moving traffic enforcement at key locations across Lancashire.

“Janet Murgatroyd, my only child, was brutally murdered 30 years ago. The perpetrator is still at large; someone knows who this man is.''

Preston City Council has given an update on its current position on the future of the Guild Hall.

A man has been charged after a teenage girl was stabbed in the neck in Brierfield.

A number of local people from across Preston have been recognised in King Charles’ Birthday Honours List.

A number of local people from across Blackpool and the Fylde coast have been recognised in King Charles’ Birthday Honours List.

A 70-year-old man from Accrington man has been given a life sentence for raping and sexually assaulting two vulnerable women. 

A balloon artist from Kirkham has helped create what is believed to be one of the World's largest foil balloon World Cup trophies after being challenged to design the structure from scratch for an international training event.

The Colne Gala returns next weekend.

Vandals have forced a public toilet at Blackpool’s Stanley Park to close after mindlessly trashing the facilities.

Blackpool Council has vowed to complete a new housing development of 51 homes in Bispham despite being left £9.5m in debt after the developer went into administration.

The first council house tenants in Preston for more than two decades could be moving into their new homes by the start of next year, the city’s leader has said.

A £40,000 grant is to be made available by Wyre Council to help set up a training facility at Thornton to tackle a worrying skills gap in the area.

Utility firms and contractors responsible for over-running, disruptive work on roads should be charged £2,500 a day using new powers, say Pendle councillors.

A bid to build a 95-home estate in the Preston countryside, which had twice been rejected by councillors, has now also been thrown out by a government planning inspector.

A Leyland man has been ordered to pay compensation after pleading guilty to an animal cruelty offence that left a pet cat with serious injuries.

One of the largest parks in Lancashire has been given the green light for a major £250,000 facelift that will benefit the half a million people who visit it every year.

Network Rail is objecting to plans to build a new housing estate near a level crossing.

Twenty-two nuisance vehicles, including illegal e-bikes and e-scooters, have been seized in Preston as part of a day of action targeting anti-social behaviour.

A stark warning of the potential dangers of illegal squishy, sensory toys has been issued by  Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards after 200 toys were removed from sale in a fortnight.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man was seriously injured in a collision near Colne over the weekend.

A shop owner has been jailed after Trading Standards officers uncovered an illegal tobacco and vape operation in St Annes.

Plans are being drawn up to ensure blood tests continue to be processed for patients across East Lancashire after 20 days of strike action were announced at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals.

Colne is preparing to welcome an extraordinary line-up of world-class cycling talent this month as the Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix returns next week.

Fylde Council is bringing its food waste team directly to communities across the borough this summer, ahead of the service launching in the autumn.

Proposals to reinstate and revitalise the largest park in Cleveleys as an active, nature-rich and multi-generational space are now being shared with the community for feedback. 

The 140-year-old building that used to house the White Bull Hotel in Blackburn town centre is set to become a development of 24 single-bed flats.

A Blackpool councillor has called for urgent answers after safety concerns over the resort’s famous trams were raised by a transport watchdog.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an elderly woman was found dead at an address in Thornton Cleveleys.

Anti-fracking campaigners have reacted with delight after the firm that operated a controversial drilling site in Fylde was given six months to restore it to the farmland that it used to be.

Months of delays and disruption for Blackburn motorists from a major road upgrade will start in just a few weeks’ time.

Wyre Council is moving into the next phase of improvements at Marine Hall in Fleetwood, with plans to invest £1.3 million to bring a key part of the venue back into use.

A man from Nelson has been jailed after drugs were found at his home during two raids by police. 

Two men who carried out knife point raids at four shops in Preston and Chorley, have both been jailed for 11 years.

Community organisations across Wyre could soon benefit from a £1 million funding programme designed to transform local spaces and create lasting impact for residents, following approval by Wyre Council’s Cabinet.

Ambitious proposals to create new apartments in one of Blackpool’s most iconic buildings have been give the green light by planners.

Proposals for two rides to be sited at Blackpool’s South Pier are set for a public inquiry hearing after the scheme was rejected on two occasions by resort planners.

It is a name that has endured for almost two centuries – even when changed circumstances meant it no longer made much sense.

Residents in the Revoe area of Blackpool have three more drop-in sessions planned to discuss a controversial regeneration scheme which includes demolition of their homes.

The Utilita Energy Hub Blackburn has been formally recognised for its exceptional contribution to the local community, receiving a Certificate of Recognition as part of Volunteers’ Week 2026.

A 13-year-old and 15-year-old have been arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire which destroyed the former M&S store in Fleetwood on Wednesday night.

Residents in Poulton-le-Fylde are benefiting from improved road conditions following the completion of a full resurfacing scheme on Curzon Road.

The football pitches on Preston’s Moor Park are getting an upgrade – thanks to silt removed from the lake on the site.

Three towering blocks of residential flats that have been a feature of Blackburn’s skyline for the past 60 years are in line for some major safety upgrades.

A man in his 60s has died following a collision between a bicycle and a car in Chorley.

Major building works are finally underway to repair and restore the missing ‘heartbeat’ of Oswaldtwistle, three years after its primary cultural venue was forced to shut its doors.

Residents at risk of developing cavities and the other painful consequences of poor dental hygiene may receive ‘targeted’ support, after Blackburn with Darwen Council approved fresh funding for a successful service.

The boss of a long-established Indian restaurant in Blackpool says tough rules on immigrants being allowed to work are forcing decent eateries to close.

National concern about the rising number of young people who are NEET – Not in Employment, Education or Training – are being shared in Blackpool.

A firm that supplies building security services to Lancashire County Council claims the local authority is repeatedly late paying its bills – and that some invoices have been outstanding for more than two years.

A veteran Blackpool councillor is believed to be the longest serving elected member currently serving on a council in the UK.

Hundreds of suspected fake perfume bottles and scores of suspected illicit Apple and Samsung products have been uncovered by Trading Standards at a car boot sale in Wyre.

Volunteers from across Blackburn with Darwen will be celebrated this week with a special event to recognise their contributions to our communities.

Work to expand a primary school in suburban Preston has been completed – and the headteacher hopes the new facilities will “inspire” her pupils.

Fylde is set to take centre stage in celebrating the very best green spaces across England.

The family of a little girl who died after a collision between two cars in the Ribble Valley have paid a heartbreaking tribute to her.

Blackpool’s Neighbourhood Policing Team and British Transport Police’ County Lines Task Force have undertaken a joint day of action, with the aim of targeting drug supply in the town. 

Police have issued a warning that any disorder or crime committed during a protest march in Blackpool this weekend will not be tolerated.

The eleven award-winning green spaces across Hyndburn borough may soon reach a round dozen, following a major cash injection from the council.

The Clarets may have had a rough year in, and now out of, the Premier League, but relegation is not the only change coming for Burnley FC fans.

Eight stretches of road in Blackburn and Darwen are to be resurfaced over the next five weeks.

Much-loved author and poet Michael Rosen is set to headline Blackburn with Darwen’s Children’s and Young People’s Literature Festival in June.

Lancashire residents will get the chance to be at the heart of the Tour de France when it races through the county next year.

Blackpool Council has responded to claims made by Reform UK’s lead councillor over plans to house migrants locally whilst also refuting stats on the number of asylum seekers in the town.

Traders say they are relieved that controversial street works are complete and hope their high street can now ‘come back to life.’

Police are appealing for information and footage after a child was seriously injured in a collision in Bacup.

Plans to create a gleaming new play space at Anchorsholme Park are moving forward after vandals wrecked the play area in a mindless attack last year.

The Dude Perfect International Youth Cup is returning to Burnley Training Centre this weekend, with 20 teams from across the globe descending on Lancashire.

The family of a teenager who died after getting into difficulty in the River Ribble have paid a heartbreaking tribute to him.

An £8.6m pot of grant funding has been secured from Homes England to facilitate major redevelopment of the former Park Hotel in Preston city centre.

A new message on the door of a popular pub-restaurant which is facing the axe has still left punters with questions.

A five-year-old girl has died in hospital following a serious collision on the A59 at Gisburn last week.

A man has appeared in court following a rooftop standoff with police in Chorley over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Ten members of a drugs gang involved in the distribution and supply of cocaine in East Lancashire, have been given prison sentences totalling more than 52 years.

A nationwide furniture retailer is set to open its first store in Preston, planning documents have revealed.

Teenage ‘test purchasers’ were able to buy knives from one in four shops during undercover operations across Lancashire.

A man has been jailed after losing control of his car and crashing through a central reservation during a high speed police chase in Preston.

Lancashire County Council has announced it will spend an extra £5m on road maintenance over the next 12 months.

Calls have been made for an empty pub and restaurant in Bispham – which closed last year – to be taken on by a successful pub chain.

A man was left seriously injured following a road traffic collision in Darwen over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Hundreds sought out the best viewpoint and lined the banks of Avenham Park to witness the reopening of Preston’s Tram Bridge as the Mayor of Preston cut the ribbon to reopen the much-loved landmark.

Chorley and South Ribble Police have teamed up with Lancashire Trading Standards and young volunteers to conduct an under-age sales operation as part of Operation Sceptre - a national, intensive week of action to tackle knife crime.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after four people – including two young children – were seriously injured in a collision in Gisburn.

Blackpool Council is submitting a government bid for £30m to fix the colonnades.

Preston City Council will be run by a minority Labour administration after the authority’s leader was re-elected to his post.

Wildlife, residents and the wider environment are set to benefit from a programme of exciting improvement works along Liggard Brook.

Dates have now been confirmed for this year’s spectacular World Fireworks Championship Blackpool, one of the resort’s most iconic autumn events.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man died following a road traffic collision between a motorbike and car in Accrington.

A bus route that stopped operating in Preston seven years ago will be able to run again once a range of Traffic Regulation Orders are introduced.

A gang boss from Blackburn who named his drug line after his Staffordshire bull terrier ‘Pablo’ has been jailed.

The Labour leader of Preston City Council will be challenged for his job at a meeting on Thursday that will determine how the authority operates in the wake of this month’s local election results.

A popular bus service that’s helped thousands of visitors make the most of holidays on the Fylde coast is set to return ahead of the summer season.

Construction has now started on the new Multiversity campus, with representatives from all key stakeholders joining together on site to mark another major milestone in the transformation of the town centre.

A man who shouted racist abuse at a mother and daughter as they walked their dog in Warton has been sentenced.

Burnley has celebrated a proud new chapter in its civic history as the town formally marked its affiliation with HMS Active, the Royal Navy’s second Type 31 Inspiration Class frigate.

The opening date for Blackpool’s newest attraction has been confirmed.

A meeting for residents of Thornton who are concerned about chemical pollution close to their homes is being staged tomorrow.

Blackpool Council and residents have hit back after the town was labelled Britain’s violent crime capital, where “one in 20 people” have been affected in the past year alone.

A business in Nelson has been charged with seven food hygiene offences and fined a total almost £20,000.

Plans have launched for new sea defence measures for north Blackpool and Bispham. 

An ambitious digital-led technology and data campus project expected to bring thousands of jobs to Blackpool has taken another huge step forward.

The problems that have beset bin collections in Preston in recent weeks are partly due to a delay in the delivery of the new vehicles needed to pick up food waste, the leader of the city council has said.

Chorley Council has been successful in securing an additional £1 million of funding to ensure Brinscall Pool stays fit for the future, enabling work to take place to improve the efficiency of the 100-year-old building.

The world-famous Red Arrows will not be taking part in this year’s Blackpool Air Show, it has been confirmed.

Blackpool's Neighbourhood Policing Team conducted joint patrols with partners to address anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the town Centre.

The parents of Luke Harden have today spoken of the heartbreak of losing their son as his murderer was jailed for life.

A bar in Blackpool has been closed down following a serious assault last month.

A former high school teacher from Chorley who took more than a million upskirt images of pupils using secret cameras hidden in pens.

Darwen Live – the UK’s biggest free music festival – is just one week away, with a huge line-up spanning three stages and more than 20 venues across the town centre.

Ambitious proposals to extensively revamp Fleetwood’s Marine Hall – including the provision of a new café and outdoor seating – have now been lodged with Wyre planners.

Preston’s colourful calendar of community events will soon receive a further investment boost, as an uplift in funding has been confirmed.

Blackpool Pride Festival will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a landmark three-day event and a two-day street party when it returns next month.

Lancashire County Council is asking people to have their say on plans to create 220 extra SEND places in the county.

Blackpool Council has appointed Martin Lawton as its new Director of Adult Services.

A roundabout on the Fylde coast where a car recently smashed into the garden wall of a school has been called ‘a fatal accident waiting to happen’.

A man has been found guilty of murdering Luke Harden in the Stacksteads area of Rossendale.

Works are now underway to deliver major improvements at two of Preston’s much‑loved parks, Moor Park and Waverley Park, following approval for multimillion‑pound investment last year.

Residents who are against plans to build 99 new homes on fields in Carleton are planning a demonstration this weekend.

Matthew Brown is set to remain the leader of Preston City Council after the Labour group on the authority backed him to stay in the post.

Preston’s new Tram Bridge will officially open to the public on Friday 22 May, with a grand opening ceremony and a week-long community programme to celebrate.

A controversial bid to build up to 1,300 homes on farmland in South Ribble has been kicked out by councillors – with one of them condemning the planned development as “an absolute crime”.

A married couple who are both councillors will be taking up their chains of office as the mayor and mayoress of Blackpool this week.

Preparatory work got under way this week for a project to improve the area around Countess Street in Accrington.

Three people have been sentenced for committing contempt of court by discussing evidence whilst a defendant was part-heard during a manslaughter trial.

A rogue roofer who scammed an 82 year old Preston householder out of thousands of pounds has been given a five-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.