Central Radio News

Lancashire residents have been warned about a scam where fraudulent messages are sent about unpaid parking charges.

Police have arrested a man after carrying out a drugs raid on a property in Blackpool.

A year ago Peter Franklin was fighting for his life after suffering a massive heart attack while on his honeymoon in the Caribbean.

A programme of road closures will be in place when an elite women's cycling race visits Lancashire in a first for the county.

Emergency services have been called to a road crash in Buckshaw Village.

Crews have tackled a fire at a property in Blackpool.

Crews have been called to a building fire in Preston.

A registered sex offender has been jailed after indecent images of children and extreme pornography were found on devices belonging to him.

A Blackburn Rovers fan's love of her favourite team helped her get through to the next round of the UK's most popular TV sewing show.

Lancashire County Council has hailed "fabulous results" in today's A-levels and offered support for students thinking of their next move.

Firefighters freed a person from a vehicle following a road crash in Burnley.

Crews have tackled a fire at a house in Buckshaw Village.

A new initiative has been launched at Preston Market to help make sure that shoppers are buying genuine products and stamping out counterfeit sales.

Councillors have demanded more evidence to show that plans for dozens of new homes in a Chorley village will not increase the risk of flooding – before they decide whether to approve the development.

Proposals have been made to install 18 EV charging stations at Blackpool’s largest Tesco store in Marton.

Hyndburn Borough Council has approved plans to knock down a derelict historic hospital in Accrington, making way for a new health and care hub.

Converting most of Preston’s Miller Arcade into apartments is the “best opportunity” to guarantee the building’s future – and ensure it is fully used.

A mum whose son vanished without trace 10 years ago in St Annes is desperately waiting to hear from him to tell her he’s alright.

A major new public art initiative is transforming Preston's streetscape, with the first striking mural, Northern, unveiled at the former BHS site on Fishergate.

One of the UK’s most exciting indie-rock bands, The K’swill headline the grand reopening of Blackburn’s iconic King George’s Hall.

The revival of Blackburn’s town centre has taken a major step forward, with the selection of a constructor to deliver the £45 million first phase of the wider £250 million regeneration plan.

A teacher has been jailed after grooming and engaging in sexual activity with a teenage girl in Lytham St Annes.

Blackpool has unveiled a dazzling array of new, family-friendly features set to illuminate the resort’s famous 2026 Illuminations display, created in collaboration with three acclaimed female artists.

The huge housebuilding scheme Huncoat Garden Village is already six weeks behind schedule before a single brick has been laid, but council chiefs have said everything is going according to plan.

Blackpool is in with a brilliant chance of of being named the UK City of Culture 2029, says council leader Cllr Lynn Williams.

Volunteers who played a vital role in the success of the 2026 National Festival of Making have been honoured at a special celebration event at Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery.

Residents, businesses and anyone interested in making the switch to electric vehicles are invited to attend Electric Preston, a free electric vehicle showcase.

A Blackpool councillor has called for a crackdown on the increasing number of camper vans parking up for free on a main seafront road.

A community cafe in the middle of a Fylde coast park is to close permanently at the end of this month.

Plans have been put forward to set up an enlarged traveller site in Blackpool’s Marton Moss area.

A Lancashire fire search dog who has helped rescue people around the world has retired after nine years of outstanding service.

Blackpool Council is holding several fostering information events this month.

Plans to convert the upper floors of Preston’s historic Miller Arcade into apartments are set to be given the green light by councillors later this week.

Fleetwood is gearing up for its first Food, Fish and Music Festival, offering three days of free entertainment, food, live music and fun for all ages.

Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC) and Furness College have formally merged – marking the beginning of a new chapter for education across Lancashire and Cumbria.

Marks & Spencer wants to build a food store on the edge of Colne, saying it will boost the town and create 70 jobs.

Fylde Council say St Annes swimming pool and gym will remain closed ‘for an extended period’ while extensive renovation works are carried out.

Dozens more roads have been added to the number that will be resurfaced by Lancashire County Council this year.

Almost two dozen new council homes in Leyland are now available for prospective tenants to apply to live in them.

A man who blew up his Hambleton home has been jailed.

Television and radio presenter, comedian and author Paddy McGuinness will perform the honour of switching on the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations at this year’s Switch-On event.

Families across Hyndburn are invited to enjoy another summer of free outdoor fun as the popular Let's Move Hyndburn Parks Events return for a fifth consecutive year.

Fylde Council has announced the latest round of Community Projects Fund grants, with thirteen local groups set to benefit from funding.

A closure order has been issued for a shop in Chorley after they were caught selling illegal vapes.

Burnley College is hoping to build on its success training the next generation of tradespeople, with a brand new workshop facility.

Residents, landlords and community organisations are invited to have their say on proposals to introduce a Selective Licensing scheme across three Preston wards.

Four men from Blackburn have been jailed after a pursuit led to their drug enterprise being uncovered by police.

Lancashire NHS bosses are staying tight-lipped about the likelihood of Chorley and South Ribble Hospital’s A&E department reopening 24 hours a day – after the government revealed local leaders were considering “evidence” for the move. 

A family have paid an emotional tribute to a 'beautiful inside and out' mum following her death in Longridge.

Children’s services in Blackpool have been rated outstanding by Ofsted.

With everything from Bon Jovi to a bit of Blackadder - Robin Hood in Williamson Park is an absolute riot, says GREG LAMBERT.

One of the top-rated GP surgeries in Burnley is set for a major overhaul that will effectively double it in size and allow it to see more patients, after receiving approval from the town’s planning committee.

A campaign to save a former church building on the Fylde coast from demolition has been boosted by national recognition of its heritage value.

Preston Bus says it does yet know whether it will take part in the £2 fare cap reintroduced by Andy Burnham.

A roofer who Padiham who misled, threatened, and took thousands of pounds from an elderly victim in Blackpool has been jailed.

Police say a body has been found in the search for a missing man from Bamber Bridge.

Blackpool Council is taking the next major step in delivering the first data centre as part of plans for Silicon Sands, a flagship digital infrastructure project at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone. 

A man who carried out an armed robbery at a bookmaker’s shop in Burnley has been jailed for eight years.

The Chorley Flower Show returns next weekend.

Multi-award-winning musician KT Tunstall will join Manchester’s renowned Hallé Orchestra a free live concert to celebrate Blackpool's bid to become UK City of Culture 2029.

Thousands more children across Lancashire will be eligible for free school meals from September.

Families are invited to enjoy a day packed with free activities as National Play Day comes to Burnley next month.

Police have charged a man with drugs and weapons offences following a series of warrants in Preston earlier this week.

The names of the four new councils that will cover Lancashire from 2028 have been approved by the government.

Major proposals to extensively revamp Fleetwood’s Marine Hall – including the provision of a new café and outdoor seating – have been given the green light by Wyre planners.

On the fourth anniversary of Kiena Dawes' death, her mother, Angela Dawes, is calling on the public to support the campaign for Kiena's Law, urging decision-makers to strengthen the response to coercive and controlling behaviour before more lives are lost.

32 e-bikes and e-scooters have been seized in Blackpool, after a day of action by the local Neighbourhood Team and Roads Policing Team.

What starts as a round of golf will become a true test of endurance for three local lads, who are taking on one of the toughest challenges in the sport.

Planning approval has been secured for the £13.2 million Samlesbury Innovation Hub, giving Lancashire a new development opportunity to present to international investors and businesses at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow.

A Preston park has been left strewn with rubbish and building waste after travellers set up an unlawful encampment.

EG on the Move is now all set to expand its presence in its hometown, with plans for a large new retail destination getting the sign off from Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Andy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping as one of his first main policies as Prime Minister has struck a political chord with Blackpool.

International pop megastar Robbie Williams is heading to the Lytham Festival in 2027.

The establishment of a new council for South Ribble, Chorley and West Lancashire has been welcomed by the leaders of the three existing authorities that will be merged to form it – although one of them would rather have seen parts of his district moved out of Lancashire altogether.

The creation of a new council for Preston, Lancaster and Ribble Valley has been welcomed by the leaders of the three existing authorities that will merge to form it.

Following the recent fire at the former ex-catalogue shop on Lord Street in Fleetwood, Wyre Council has taken action against the owners of the building to try and make the building safe as soon as possible.

Some of the biggest names in international blues are heading to Colne this August as the award-winning Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival celebrates its landmark 35th anniversary.

Plans to create one of Blackpool’s most innovative food destinations are pressing ahead as 19 converted shipping containers were moved on site for the first time.

Three teenagers have been sentenced after a stabbing in Blackpool which left a man with serious injuries.    

The leader of Lancashire County Council says more time is needed to implement sweeping changes to local government – or else they will pose a risk to vulnerable residents.

The leader of Blackpool Council has expressed disappointment at today’s decision on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Lancashire – and fears the town will ‘lose its identity’.

A pervert who sexually abused two young boys over more than 20 years has been jailed.

A man has admitted harassment towards Blackpool South MP Chris Webb.

A teaching union claims that plans to force every Catholic school in the Diocese of Lancaster to become an academy will drain vital funds away from the classroom – and could see teacher numbers cut.

The operator of a chemicals facility in Thornton which is part of a pollution probe has vowed that its possible closure will have no bearing on the investigations.

Lancashire will be split up into four new council areas when the county’s 15 existing local authorities are abolished in less than two years’ time.

Work is underway to reinstate the windmill sails that have welcomed people to Blackpool for generations.

The skyline at Norcross is already starting to change as building work gets under way on huge new 21,500 sq ft Marks and Spencer Food Hall.

Attempts to increase Blackpool’s rail connection with London have stalled – despite coming at a time when the resort is enjoying massive multi-million investment.

There is “evidence” to support consideration being given to reopening the accident and emergency department at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital 24 hours a day, the government has revealed.

An Accrington man has been jailed for controlling and coercive behaviour.  

A support worker from Leyland is taking on a huge challenge to swim from Dover to France.

Hazardous counterfeit toys have been being seized from shops across Blackpool.

New rules are to be introduced to crack down on the menacing use of e-scooters, powered bikes and pedal cycles in and around Chorley town centre.

A number of parks across Blackpool and the Fylde coast have earned a Green Flag Award.

Blackpool Council is set to deliver a programme of resurfacing works to St Annes Road, helping to protect and improve this key route for the long term.

More than 200 jobs in Thornton are hanging in the balance as the operators of the former ICI plant have revealed proposals to cease production.

Lancashire is gearing up for one of the most consequential weeks in its local government history as it awaits the outcome of an overhaul that will see the county’s 15 main councils abolished.

The government is being urged to make a regional outpost of one of its biggest departments the centrepiece of a long-planned transformation of Preston city centre.

A man who sexually assaulted a woman in Bacup has been jailed after he attempted to derail the investigation into his offending from inside prison. 

The man who led Blackpool Council as it became a unitary authority, oversaw the roll out of Sure Start centres, and set up the town’s first publicly run leisure centre, has died.

Students in Blackburn with Darwen have become the first in the country to complete a pioneering new digital and technology scholarship scheme.

A Blackpool off-road racer is staging a major cross-Atlantic campaign, trading the Fylde coast for the gruelling deserts of the Baja Peninsula.

A Blackpool charity which helps seriously ill children has sent out an SOS after heartless burglars broke in and caused massive damage.

It seems to have been a long time coming, but the first sign of construction of Blackpool’s £65m Multiversity campus has finally appeared.

The government has rejected criticism of its response to calls for support to secure the future of Preston’s Guild Hall.

Everybody on the Fylde coast is being encouraged to back a bid for Blackpool to be named the UK City of Culture 2029.

Police are appealing for information and footage after two people died following a collision earlier today in Wrightington.

A man has been jailed after killing a grandfather on a pedestrian crossing in Cleveleys.

Work is now under way on site at Haslingden Old Road, marking a major step forward in reopening the route following the major landslip that forced its closure.

A new padel facility is set to open at Stanley Park offering a new sports option for residents and generating funds to be reinvested in the park.

An immersive art installation that allows visitors to walk through a psychedelic world of art and colour is coming to Accrington later this month.

A wholesale review of Preston City Council’s waste collection service is under way in an attempt to rectify problems that emerged following a recent overhaul, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has learned.

The government has been accused of giving a lukewarm response to lobbying efforts to secure support for the replacement or refurbishment of Preston’s Guild Hall.

The extra costs of improvement work needed on a new £18.5m access road after lorries struggled to turn onto it will not be borne by Blackpool Council or council tax payers.

The Victorian-era conservatory in Corporation Park that has been closed to the public for the past 10 years could finally be reopened, under one of three possible futures guises.

Blackpool Council is looking to take steps in case it will need Compulsory Purchase Orders to get an ambitious but controversial regeneration project off the ground.

The Reform UK group that runs Lancashire County Council says Nigel Farage has done “the right thing” by quitting as an MP to trigger a parliamentary by-election.

A long-awaited upgrade of one of the main routes linking South Ribble and Preston will not be scrapped to help pay for increased defence spending – but it will be another year yet before work on the scheme begins.

The Blackpool South MP says he is hopeful that opportunities can arrive in the future to revive the town’s airport – but that moment isn’t ready yet.

A public inquiry is to be staged tomorrow to decide on Blackpool Pier Company’s appeal against Blackpool Council’s decision to reject plans for new rides on South Pier.

Lancashire Police joined with other agencies as part of a crackdown on organised immigration crime.

The bodies of two Preston men reported missing more than a week ago have been found in a crashed car.

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. 

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.

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.

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.  

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.