Northland in brief

Northland Regional Councillors will tomorrow decide whether to help fund two replacement rescue helicopters.

Rescue helicopter upgrade to be decided

Northland Regional Councillors will tomorrow decide whether to lend almost $10 million to help fund two replacement rescue helicopters.

NRC is considering lending the Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) $9.8m, using the council's access to better interest rates through the Local Government Funding Agency than NEST could get through a bank.

NRC called for public submissions on the proposal and 424 of the 453 submitters, or 93 per cent, agreed on the funding while 25 opposed it. Four submitters did not state a stance.

Man injured by tractor

A man suffered serious leg injuries in an accident involving a tractor mower. The accident on a rural property on Ngunguru Rd, Kiripaka, happened about 12.50pm yesterday. St John Ambulance transported the man, in his 50s, to the Whangarei Hospital. The circumstances leading up to the accident were not known.

Two Auckland players strike lucky with lotto

Powerball was not struck on Saturday evening and has rolled over to Wednesday when the jackpot will be $14 million.

Two lucky Strike players from Auckland and Waihi each won $50,000 with Strike Four in Saturday's live Lotto draw.

The winning tickets were sold at New World Stonefields in Auckland and Waihi Paper Plus and Toyworld in Waihi. Lotto First Division will be $1m and Strike Four will be $100,000 on Wednesday night. The winning First Division Lotto numbers on Saturday were 4, 17, 22, 27, 28, 32 with Bonus number 18 and Powerball 8.