NZ at Noon: Girlfriend of year, buttcrack bandit, crazies

Stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon include a would be helicopter pilot named girlfriend of the year, the buttcrack bandit appears to have been nabbed and crazy people grabbing live 11,000-volt cables.

Would-be rescue helicopter pilot Lucy-Anne Brickley is New Zealand's Girlfriend of the Year.

Social networking through the internet has led to the alleged capture of an infamous Northland man better known as the "Buttcrack Bandit".

"Crazy'' people are at risk of being ''fried'' by high voltage powerlines, including people driving over and picking up 11,000-volt cables.

Members of the public have swarmed social networking sites criticising mainstream media for the lack of coverage of this years kapa haka championships, seemingly not realising the media was heavily restricted in what it was allowed to cover.

A build-up of heat in a compost heap almost cost Rotorua Lakes High School a classroom.

A Tauranga judge has ordered the confiscation of a $300,000 fishing trawler belonging to the owner of a Mount Maunganui fishing company convicted of filing a string of bogus catch returns.

Youth brawls and intimidating behaviour continue to drive people away from a Tauranga bus stop.

Five years ago doctors weren't sure whether 13-year old Talor Kahu would walk again, but now he's breaking athletics records.

A strong East Coast contingent contributed to a "too-close-to-call" final at the Te Matatini 2013 kapa haka national championship in Rotorua.

The death of Carterton hairdressing student Tegan Moyes comes only days after the 16-year-old started studying for her dream job.

An act of "stupidity" saw the iconic Bushtown statue in Waimate moved from its pew over the weekend.

Taggers responsible for defacing New Brighton war memorial appear to have gotten away with the "despicable'' crime.

Top trending topics on NZ at Noon were: Oscars, #UFC157, Jennifer Lawrence, Heart Attack, New Zealand, #ttrttpt, #TrueBlueHQ, #masterchefNZ and Dunedin.

Other stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon:
Northland population expected to rise
Fire rips through paddocks
Boy impaled in motorbike accident
Damaging blaze closes sawmill
Woman faces arson charge
X-Factor NZ hopefuls prepare to face judges

- nzherald.co.nz