Appeal As Lisburn School Burgled

A high school in Lisburn has been targeted in an incident of criminal damage and burglary, police have said.

Lisnagarvey High School in Warren Gardens was broken into overnight between Wednesday 05 and Thursday 06 June.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on non-emergency line 101 quoting reference 396 of 06/06/19.

Man Charged Over Cannabis Find

A man has been arrested and charged after police discovered a quantity of cannabis at a house in Ballybeen, County Down.

Nine cannabis plants were found in the upstairs of a property in the housing estate.

The man was arrested and charged with cultivating cannabis. He is due to appear in court later this month.

Police have appealed for anyone with information on drugs in their community to report it by calling 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Strabane Hosts International Appalachian Trail Event

A special forum has taken place in Strabane this week focusing on developing the tourism potential of the International Appalachian Trail (IAT) Ulster Ireland, a cross border long distance walking trail that takes in locations running from west Donegal, through the Sperrin Mountains, the North Coast, and the Glens of Antrim before finishing at Larne. 

The Outdoor Economy Forum event welcomed a range of experts in the field of outdoor and adventure tourism. It was one of a number of activities taking place over five days with the aim of strengthening relationships and sharing ideas and best practice, while also building on activity undertaken to date to develop the Ulster Ireland section of the IAT. The activities comprised of round table talks, walking on the IAT/Ulster Way, and focussed on trail development, linkages with other locations, as well as conservation and the development of tourism experiences.

Acknowledging the success of the event, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor Michaela Boyle, said the Outdoor Economy Forum had been a great opportunity to share expertise and experience which will benefit tourism in the wider North West region.

"The International Appalachian Trail is extremely popular with fans of the outdoors and there is great potential for further development in terms of creating bespoke walking and hiking packages for visitors to the region," she stressed.

"The trail is a highlight of the new Tourism Strategy for Derry and Strabane, promoting rural tourism and making the most of our outstanding areas of natural beauty. By sharing information and experience with locations with common interests, we can work on harnessing the potential of these areas and drawing more international visitors with a passion for outdoor adventure experiences."