News in brief: Lotto winners, UFO or lightning?

Another Lotto First Division winning ticket was sold in Northland on Saturday.

First division winner

Northland's run of Lotto success has continued with another First Division winning ticket sold in the region. A ticket sold at Pak'nSave, Whangarei, won its holder $333,333 as one of three nationally that each took out Lotto First Division on Saturday night. The win comes after Sunnyside Foodmarket in Kamo sold a $200,000 winning Instant Kiwi scratchie, and a winning first division Lotto ticket, also worth $200,000 in the same week last month. At the start of this month a ticket sold at Paihia Four Square netted its owner $300,000 as the sole winner of the Lotto Strike prize. Powerball was not struck on Saturday and has rolled over to Wednesday night, where the jackpot will be $12 million. Strike Four also rolled over and will be $200,000 on Wednesday. The winning numbers were 10, 11, 14, 22, 28 and 40 with the bonus number 12 and Powerball number 8. The Strike numbers were 10, 11, 22 and 28.

Serious crash injuries

A man was taken to hospital in a serious condition after a crash in Ruakaka yesterday.
Police said a man turned up to a house in McEwan Rd, about 2.20am yesterday with cuts to his head. It was initially believed that the man may have been hit by a car and a crashed car, with nobody inside, was later found a short distance away. Police were still investigating to see if the man had been hit by a car or had been driving the crashed car. The man was taken to Whangarei Hospital with serious injuries.

Lights a real mystery

Is it a UFO, is it a fire, or is it lightning? The question of mysterious flashing lights reported all over Northland has been put down to a simple electrical storm. Inquisitive Northlanders took to social media on Saturday night after reportedly seeing a "very big flashing light in the sky" or "intermittent light flashes". While some put it down to a UFO or a fire, MetService meteorologist Amy Rossiter confirmed there was a trough lying to the east of Northland which has had quite a few lightning strikes. Rossiter said this lightning storm extended from offshore Bay of Plenty up to Northland. She said reports of the flashes being described as red or orange in colour could be attributed to the way they are reacting to various clouds or things in the atmosphere. "In the past 24 hours there have been about 32 strikes. There were a few yesterday evening on land, but overnight we haven't seen anything on land, most of it has been offshore to the east," she said.

Fundraising for Christchurch

The Improv Mob is putting on a theatresports show in Whangarei to raise funds for Victim Support's Christchurch appeal. Called Hilarity For Charity, the event at OneOneSix on Saturday, April 27, will see two teams of actors improvising scenes in the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway? The first local improv battle in two years, Northland's Improv Mob will be competing against the Fig Mints of Auckland in about 20 skits. Comedian and The Project entertainer Steven Lyons will be MC, host and judge. Tickets for the two-hour show are $23, with 50 per cent going towards the Victim Support's GiveALittle fundraiser for Christchurch, the other covering the cost of staging the show. Tickets are available through Event finder

Testing our GPs

One in 10 Kiwis don't feel comfortable asking their doctor about whether a treatment or test is necessary, a survey by Consumer NZ and the Council of Medical Colleges has found. The annual survey was carried out as part of the organisations' Choosing Wisely campaign, which encourages people to ask their health professional four questions when a test or treatment is suggested: 1. Do I really need this test, treatment or procedure? 2. What are the risks? 3. Are there simpler, safer options? 4. What happens if I don't do anything? Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin said people should feel able to question health care treatment options. "Understanding why your doctor is considering a test – and weighing up the benefits and risks – is every patient's right," said Chetwin.