Preston, Leyland & Chorley News

The backlog in the assessment system for determining the support required by Lancashire children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is on course to be cleared in less than two months.

Parking restrictions are to be widened close to an expanding school in suburban Preston.

The Harris in Preston has announced that it has welcomed a new intern through the DFN Project SEARCH supported internship programme.

There are more than 1,000 empty properties in Preston that could be providing desperately needed accommodation for a range of residents.

The first major shake-up of bin collection rounds in Preston for more than a decade is set to take place next month.

A Lancashire volunteer police officer who works as a long‑distance lorry driver in his day job has been commended for his exceptional bravery and quick thinking following a serious collision on the M6 near Staffordshire.

A banqueting suite is set to open in a Preston neighbourhood after getting the go-ahead from city planning officials.

The M6 northbound near Leyland reopened yesterday after a police investigation into a death on the motorway.

The number of lifesaving interventions at railway stations across the North West has nearly doubled in the last four years – as passengers are being urged to start conversations with people who may be struggling.

A new scheme offering up to £100 per household to assist with the cost of food and fuel is available to pensioners who currently receive Council Tax Support but are not in receipt of Pension Credit.  

Thousands of Easter rail journeys will be disrupted by engineering work on the West Coast Main Line.

Chorley Council is to freeze its share of council tax bills in the year ahead – and has stressed that the move will not mean any cuts to services.

Preston City Council will decide within the next year whether it is “feasible” to build a replacement for the Guild Hall, it has been announced.

A Preston sixth form college has been given the go-ahead for a major expansion in order to meet demand for places, amid protests from residents living nearby who say they cannot park close to their own homes.

Padel enthusiasts in Preston will have another place where they can play the sport after a new facility was given the green light in the city.

Lancashire Police are urging residents and local businesses to remain vigilant following a spike in reports involving counterfeit currency being used across the county.

Plans to invest £72 million in maintaining and improving Lancashire’s highways and transport infrastructure in 2026/27 are set to be approved by councillors.

A bus driver from Preston is celebrating 50 years with the same company.

Volunteers in Leyland have launched an eco-friendly refill shop and community laundry to support local families.

The Reform UK administration at Lancashire County Council has set its first budget – promising what it described as a “tsunami of better services” for residents.

Organisers have launched a crowdfunder to help secure the future of the 2026 event in Preston’s Miller Park.

The Big PNE Sleep Out will return to Deepdale on Friday 27th March 2026, as Preston North End Community and Education Trust (PNECET), Foxton, Blog Preston and Veolia join forces to tackle homelessness in Preston.

Comedian, writer and actor Dave Spikey has donated an entire night’s pay to a charity based at Royal Preston Hospital.

A man has been given a 20-year sentence after assaulting his partner so seriously she has been left paralysed.

A “technical issue” means Lancashire County Council is currently unable to say whether it is hitting its own pothole repair targets.

Preston City Council has signed a contract to upgrade the rooftop solar panel array at Preston Town Hall.

Police Licensing officers, working alongside Lancashire County Council Trading Standards, have carried out a recent test purchasing operation targeting underage alcohol and vape sales.

The operators of a popular Chorley park have appealed for consideration from dog owners after waste bags were left piled up around overflowing bins.

Dozens of apartments could be created within Preston’s Miller Arcade as part of a major redevelopment of the historic city shopping precinct.

A paranoid schizophrenic who stamped on and kicked a Preston dad to death has admitted killing him.

A councillor has warned of “absolute chaos” on the roads if plans to build 350 houses on the site of the abandoned Camelot Theme Park in Chorley are given the go-ahead.  

Lancashire Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man suffered serious injuries in a collision near Longridge.

Preston City Council will introduce weekly food waste collections across the city from April 2026.

Lancashire will get almost £29m more in transport funding from the government in two years’ time than it does today.

Preston is poised to get its first council houses in more than 20 years – with new-build properties in the north of the city being eyed up for purchase.

Dozens of new homes are to be built in a Chorley village amid concern over the lack of services for the people who will eventually move into them.

Chorley Council has given the green light to a £4m refurbishment of one of the borough’s leisure centres.

Political leaders across Lancashire are readying their troops to fight local elections that it appeared were never going to happen, after the government staged a dramatic U-turn over a previous decision to scrap electoral contests.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a woman in her 70s was left with life threatening injuries following a road traffic collision in Preston.

A teenager driver and his passenger suffered serious injuries following a collision involving two cars and a lorry on the M6 last night.

Disabled people across Lancashire are being encouraged to think about taking up curling after a wheelchair club in the county was given a cash boost to help it fund the cost of training sessions.

A man has been jailed after admitting to killing his baby son in Fulwood.

Lancashire County Council has appointed a professional design team to work in partnership with the authority to deliver the £13.2m Innovation Hub at the Samlesbury Enterprise Zone.

The demolition of a historic Preston city centre pub will definitely go ahead after a senior councillor said he could not “justify” the cost that would be involved in keeping it standing.

Chorley is getting ready to turn the page on an exciting new chapter as What’s Your Story, Chorley returns bigger than ever this March.

A paedophile who a targeted teenage girl at a house in Leyland has been given a lengthy jail term.

A man has been charged with the murder of Preston student Carla Georgescu.

A popular Italian restaurant in Preston wants to create a dedicated parking area for one of their regular customers – who usually drops in by helicopter.

Building work has officially finished on a new ground for Lancashire County Cricket Club, which has been created at the heart of the county.

King Charles visited Lancashire today, stopping at Clitheroe, Samlesbury and Inglewhite.

A man has today admitted to killing his baby son in Fulwood.

Preston’s Animate leisure complex is celebrating its first birthday this February half term with a full day of free family fun.

An investigation into the death of a student in Preston is continuing.

King Charles visits Lancashire today.

A pervert who sexually abused two young girls has been jailed for almost 20 years.

Preston Bus has defended a recent rise in its fares, claiming that it has been left more than £100,000 a year out of pocket by central and local government funding for two price-reduction schemes for passengers.

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has pledged that his 5.4 % increase in the council tax charge he levies on households will be used to boost neighbourhood patrols, digital and financial investigations, roads policing and modern IT systems.

A temporary school planned for the outskirts of Preston might never be constructed.

A teenage boy suffered a fractured skull when he was hit by a vehicle during a car meet in Preston over the weekend.

Officers from Preston’s Neighbourhood Policing and Prosper Partnership Team have carried out another ‘Skip the Whip’ - a multi-agency operation to tackle illegal and abandoned vehicles.

A potentially life-saving stroke treatment will be available around the clock in Lancashire for the first time from next week.

A facelift planned for Preston station has been given the green light – in spite of concerns that one aspect of the revamp might affect the “appreciation” of the Grade II-listed building.

A burglar was traced after leaving blood at the scene of a break-in.

The University of Lancashire’s School of Veterinary Medicine has been given the royal seal of approval by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

Plans to increase school capacity across Preston have been approved by councillors.

Government plans to slash the number of police forces must not damage the relationship between local communities and the officers who serve them, the man who oversees Lancashire Constabulary has warned.

A new bus lane in Preston city centre will go live next month, with warnings issued to drivers who use it incorrectly to begin with.

Drivers will be fined if they attempt dangerous manoeuvres at four locations across Lancashire, under new powers being rolled out for enforcing moving traffic offences.

Six of the seven local elections due to take place in Lancashire in May have been called off by the government.

The future of five Lancashire care homes appears to have been guaranteed after months of uncertainty about whether they would be refurbished or closed.

The family of a young man who died following a collision in Grimsargh have paid a heartbreaking tribute to their ‘best boy’.

A new McDonald’s drive-thru will be built alongside the M6, on the outskirts of Preston, after being given the green light by councillors.

Students at Preston College will take part in a 24-hour Danceathon next month to celebrate the life of a much-loved student and raise money for a local charity.

Lancashire care staff are ready to strike if any of the county’s under-threat homes and day centres are earmarked for closure, a union leader has warned.

A teenager has died following a collision between two cars in Grimsargh on Sunday.

An 89-year-old woman has died following a collision in Leyland last weekend.

A Preston sixth form college has unveiled plans for a major extension designed to help deal with a shortage of space and ever-increasing demand for places.

Lancashire will take centre stage in one of the world's biggest sporting events, the Tour de France 2027.

Essential traffic signal upgrades at a busy Preston junction will begin next week, with the majority of work taking place overnight to minimise disruption.

Lancashire County Council is proposing to increase council tax by 3.8 percent next year – 1.2 percent below the maximum amount permitted by the government.

Wallace & Gromit in A Case at the Museum, drew crowds of blockbuster proportions, with 105,177 visitors in its first eight weeks at The Harris in Preston.

Chorley has become the first place in Lancashire to declare that it will bid to become the UK’s inaugural Town of Culture.

Preston’s Neighbourhood Policing Team and Prosper Partnership Team have secured a three-month partial closure order at a problem address.

A man who stabbed a probation officer in Preston, inflicting serious injuries on her, has been given a life sentence.

Lancashire Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after an elderly woman suffered serious injuries in a collision in Leyland.

Restoration works are set to begin later this month on the West Wing of Astley Hall.

Two men have been arrested after a man died following a collision in Preston.

The building that houses some of Lancashire’s most precious historical documents needs a new roof.

Transport bosses say a raft of security measures are in place at Preston Bus Station after it was identified as the place in the city that is most feared by women at night.

A teenage boy who stabbed a 15-year-old in the chest during a fight near Moor Park in Preston, has been sentenced to more than three years youth detention.

Plans have been unveiled to launch another padel venue in Preston – which would become the sixth created in the city in the space of just three years. 

Gritting crews are continuing their work to keep Lancashire's roads safe and open as a Met Office yellow weather warning for snow and ice remains in place.

If you missed the Wallace and Gromit exhibition in Preston, you can still catch it – but it now requires a fairly long journey south.

Half a dozen regeneration projects are set to be completed or to begin in Preston over the next 12 months.

New cameras designed to catch motorists making unlawful manoeuvres on Lancashire’s roads are finally set to be switched on in the coming weeks – a year after they were first intended to go live.

Work on a major railway bridge replacement is set to begin - leading to travel disruption in Lancashire.

A month-long campaign has been launched to help people in Lancashire be better prepared for freezing weather, flooding and power cuts.

People from Lancashire have been recognised in the King's New Year's Honours List for their work across the county.

Hundreds of runners and walkers dressed as elves have raised thousands for mental health at a charity fun run.

The new women and girls' Champion on Lancashire County Council has vowed to push for change.

A public survey has been launched to ask Lancashire residents for their views on the money they pay towards policing.

NHS bosses are planning a major overhaul of orthodontic services in Lancashire in an attempt to reduce waiting times of more than a year in some parts of the county.

Lancashire Police have issued a seasonal shoplifting warning ahead of the busy festive retail period, saying there will be no let-up in their action to tackling theft.

A games area on an estate in Preston, which has become so damaged that parts of it are being used as “missiles” by the young people it was designed to benefit, is to be refurbished.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a cyclist was left seriously injured in a suspected fail-to-stop collision in Preston.

The owner of The Book Stop’s Here says falling footfall and a disastrous market move have made the business no longer viable.

Almost 200 new signs are to be erected in and around Preston railway station in an attempt to reduce the confusion caused by the current mix of “inconsistent” signage relied upon by travellers.

Lancashire is receiving £24 million in government funding to help provide walking and cycling scheme in the county.

Chorley Council has issued an Emergency Prohibition Order on residential flat due to the landlord failing to meet legal housing standards.

A joint operation between Lancashire Police and British Transport Police to break down county lines drug dealing in Preston led to several arrests and the seizure of drugs.

The government has indicated that local elections due to take place in Lancashire next year will go ahead – in spite of calls from four of the county’s councils to cancel them.

Officers from Preston’s Neighbourhood Policing and Prosper Partnership Team have carried out a multi-agency operation to tackle illegal and abandoned vehicles.

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

A sexual predator who assaulted a woman before going on to try and rape her 12-year-old daughter has been jailed.

Councillors have kicked out plans for a new housing estate on the outskirts of a Preston village – in spite of claims locals backed the development because of the new facilities that would come with it.

A Preston based holiday firm has received a nomination for two prestigious national awards, just a year after they started trading.

The Harris has enjoyed a busy time after unveiling its £19m redevelopment project, significantly surpassing visitor targets and receiving overwhelmingly positive public feedback.

Police say an eight-year-old boy suffered a head injury after a school bus hit a bridge in Coppull.

Preston is set to witness a landmark moment in its heritage as the Tram Bridge is lifted into place, following the demolition of the old structure and the reimagining of this historic crossing.

Police in Lancashire are aiming to make sure it’s a bleak winter for criminals with the launch of a new crime crackdown for Christmas and beyond.

More than 700 knives have been taken off the streets across Lancashire’s South Division as part of Operation Sceptre, a national week-long initiative to tackle knife crime.

A Chorley man died two days after being assaulted by a friend in a pub beer garden in an argument over food they were eating.

A woman in her 80s has suffered serious injuries in a collision in Preston.

Detectives are appealing for a key witness to come forward after a person was found dead at Preston railway station on Saturday morning.

Preston City Council has become the latest authority in Lancashire to push for the cancellation of next year’s local elections – prompting opposition politicians to cry foul.

A man has been given a prison sentence of more than 20 years for raping and sexually assaulting a girl.

Families invited to climb aboard Preston’s festive steam train for a magical journey with Father Christmas this December

A heartfelt call to the community to donate unwrapped gifts or vouchers — helping ensure every child and young person supported by Barnardo’s in Lancashire receives a present this Christmas.

Three men have been jailed for their roles in trafficking large amounts of cannabis throughout the North West.  

A historic Preston property that played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution could be turned into apartments.

Vault Youth Zone, Preston’s new purpose-built facility dedicated to supporting young people, is celebrating hitting a major milestone as it has officially received the keys to its state-of-the-art building.

A burglar who targeted homes in Leyland and threatened to torch a man’s car has been jailed.

Lancashire County Council is encouraging men to take a stand against violence towards women and support this year's White Ribbon Campaign.

A controversial review that has placed a question mark over the futures of five Lancashire care homes will not be cancelled, the politician leading the process has said.

The Proud Preston 2026 Awards has been launched, celebrating the city's unsung heroes and organisations.

A paedophile has been jailed after raping  a 12-year-old girl in a car park in Penwortham.

Three members of a drugs gang involved in the trafficking of heroin and crack cocaine into Lancashire from Merseyside, have been jailed.

A new awards is launching to help celebrate the great work done by Prestonians across the city.

A man has been jailed after leaving a pensioner in her 80s with serious injuries following a collision in Walton-le-Dale.

Police are issuing an urgent warning for people to be on the lookout for bogus callers after a conman tried to scam an elderly and vulnerable pensioner out of almost £80,000.

A man has been jailed after stalking a woman in Preston.

Ambitious plans to build almost 400 new homes on the outskirts of Preston City Centre appear to have been put on long-term hold.

More than 150 jobs are expected to be created after plans to modernise a South Ribble industrial development were given the go ahead.

A Preston newsagent who flouted a court order banning them from selling vapes and tobacco has been fined £4,000 and hit with court costs.

The fate of a former Preston pub has been sealed after plans to flatten it were given the go-ahead.

The £9m transformation of Preston’s historic Amounderness House into modern, flexible workspace is underway with work starting on site.

At a recent gala celebrating a century of community cinema with Cinema for All, Chorley’s Empire Community Cinema scooped an award recognising its important role in the community.

The government could be asked to cancel some of the local elections scheduled to take place in Lancashire next year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands.

A train has derailed on the West Coast Main Line this morning.

Plans for a major expansion of the M&S store on Preston’s Deepdale Shopping Park have been given the green light.

Police are appealing for CCTV and dashcam footage following a serious collision in Preston.

Calls have been made to suspend a controversial ‘bus gate’ in Preston that’s caught more than 80,000 motorists – and generated £2.6m in fines – in its first year of operation.

24 illegal E-bikes and E-scooters have been seized in Preston as part of continued action to tackle anti-social behaviour and nuisance vehicles.

Lancashire is taking steps to tackle roadwork disruption on its busiest routes – with a potential Lane Rental Scheme now under serious consideration.

A new Greggs branch is to open alongside one of the busiest routes in Preston.

A man believed to be the brother of a people smuggling kingpin caught following an investigation by the National Crime Agency has been jailed for more than five-and-a-half years for helping him transport people to the UK.

A man has died after a collision on the M6 in Lancashire last night.

A new cycleway and footpath linking South Ribble with Preston Railway Station has officially opened.

Plans to develop a new secondary school in Preston were held up for a year by a delay in handing back a small plot of land – temporarily acquired for a roadbuilding project – to its original owner, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal.

A Burger King branch is set to be built in the car park of Leyland’s Tesco Extra store after getting the green light from councillors.

A shoplifter who stabbed a security guard as he fled from a store near to Preston city centre, has been sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison.

Local hero Mick Hall makes his long-awaited boxing comeback at Preston’s Deepdale Stadium, headlining JBF Management’s professional fight night and uniting the community in support of sport and charity.

The M55 motorway between Blackpool and Preston has reopened this morning following an overnight closure caused by a serious road traffic collision.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Two of Longridge’s most cherished school crossing patrol officers have been formally recognised for their extraordinary dedication to road safety.

A special edition of The Parched Pea Podcast sees the Oscar winning creator of Wallace and Gromit share his journey from attic to the big screen

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.

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.

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

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

Chorley Live returns next month, with a fantastic weekend full of live music and entertainment across the town centre.

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

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

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.

Preston City Council has invested £250,000 in the ongoing development of NW Mutual, a mutual bank planning a network of 60-plus branches to be owned by, based in and for the people and small and medium-sized businesses of the north west of England.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.