The Chronicle - in shops now!

A Coleraine girl’s courageous battle with a rare form of bone cancer has highlighted the urgent need for better support for sarcoma patients across Northern Ireland.

That is the inspiring front page story in this week's Chronicle, in shops Tuesday morning.

Sophie Mathewson, who died peacefully at home on 16 April 2021 aged just 18, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma just days after completing her GCSEs in June 2019.

Following her death, Sophie’s parents Katy and Allen worked with the Boom Foundation and the Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Charity (TORC) to create a lasting legacy - funding a dedicated Clinical Nurse Specialist for sarcoma patients.

In other news, it's been revealed that one year after Stormont launched its strategy for rebalancing Northern Ireland’s economy in favour of outlying regions like Causeway Coast and Glens, not much has changed.

And we can confirm that three XL Bull dogs gave been 'humanely destroyed' in Causeway Coast and Glens since new controls on the breed were introduced in January.

We have lots of entertainment news as well, including a feature on a how film shot entirely across the north coast, has been officially selected for this year’s Belfast Film Festival and news that Ballymoney Town Hall will be transformed into a big screen pop-up cinema next month. 

It's been a busy week in sport, too, with a range of county finals taking place in gaelic games and Coleraine continuing to lead the way at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership following a comfortable home win over Dungannon Swifts.

For all this and more, pick up a copy of The Chronicle today.