[1][a] St Michael's on Wyre is situated on The Fylde, between Lancaster, Preston and Blackpool.

In 1984, 16 people were killed by a gas explosion in the Abbeystead disaster, during a visit by a party from St Michael's to a waterworks 10 miles (16 kilometres) up the River Wyre.

[2][3][4][5] The small village has its own pub, car garage, school, village hall (with a post office), tennis club, bowling club and nearby Myerscough College.

[7] On 19 February 2023, the body of 45-year-old Nicola Bulley was found in the Wyre about one mile (1.5 kilometres) downstream of the village,[8] where she had disappeared while walking her dog on 27 January.

[10] Lancashire Constabulary were criticised for their handling of the case, including releasing private details of Bulley's health,[8] and users of social media were criticised for travelling to the area during the search and were described as "[playing] private detectives".