NZ at Noon: Ambushed ambulance, heartless thieves, bee massacre

Rotorua's Ruth Thomas was 'gutted' to wake up yesterday morning to find thieves had stolen items which were to be turned into scrap metal to raise money for Rotorua Montessori. Photo / Ben Fraser

Stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon include ambulance medics ambushed in the dead of night, some heartless thieves sabotaging a school fundrasier and millions of bees massacred in Northland.

Ambulance workers fear heading to Moerewa after large rocks and debris were placed on the road and medics who got out of the vehicle to clear the debris came under fire from "idiots" throwing rocks.

Rotorua Montessori students and their parents spent all Saturday picking up scrap metal for a fundraiser and then thieves spent Saturday night nicking it.

Beehives continue to be attacked and stolen in Northland with nearly 4 million bees murdered in one hive alone leaving a stinking mess.

The "dangerous and evil" killer Wayne Bracken taunted his victim's family during his trial for a crime described by the judge as "calculated and vicious. It was, in effect, an execution."

The restaurant at Tauranga Bridge Marina owned by AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd is set to reopen with a change of direction.

At least 143 people aboard the Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas have come down with a gastro-intestinal illness.

Crowds flocked to Kamo for the annual Christmas Parade. And mysteriously Santa appeared to be in two places at once.

Kaikohe is looking for a new way to attract tourists after Father Kerry Prendeville said there was no Marian apparition of Madonna and Child in the Kaikohe Christmas tree lights.

NZ First list MP Brendan Horan apparently wants to keep allegations of large amounts of money taken from his mother's bank account in the family, and family doesn't appear to include his leader Winston Peters.

Meanwhile 92-year-old Tom Cunningham has grown thousands of potatoes for the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

Taliban leader Abdullah Kalta, who apparently ordered a roadside attack in Afghanistan which killed 3 New Zealanders, has apparently been neutralised.

Anglers will have more chance of catching a fish this summer in Rotorua.

Toots and the Maytals have joined the line-up for Raggamuffin 2013.

A fire has gutted a disused cow shed in Galatea.

Four people are in Tauranga Hospital after a car accident in rural Tauranga last night.

Meanwhile one man is dead after a Nissan light truck collided head on with a northbound Kenwood logging truck near Napier.

A series of cheeky billboards are going up around the Far North in the hope of preventing devastating wildfires.

The figures are apparently fast stacking up for Gisborne to host its biggest New Year's Eve party yet.

The father of Manutahi Edward, 16, who was stabbed in the face with a screwdriver, says his son is not in a gang but other family members are.

You shouldn't be talking on your mobile while driving, but now is a particularly bad time.

Ron and Peggy Frew, on the Raetihi-Ohakune road, have a perfect vantage point of Mt Ruapehu should it decide to explode and blow big red hot rocks out of the crater.

Ann Allen knew she was in trouble when she started choking on a piece of meat.

His name is Shadow, and the shadow he casts is greater than most.

Oamaru businessman Ed Balsink believes karma will serve justice to whoever broke into his bakery.

Fancy a ride in a tank?

Drag racing events look set to be held at the Oamaru Airport.

Westland district councillor Allen Hurley is unapologetic about missing every one of his council committee meetings this year while working as a builder in Christchurch on the earthquake recovery.

Meanwhile due to earthquake strengthening costs at Grey Base Hospital, up to 19 jobs could go in the laundry.

Top trending topics on Twitter in NZ at Noon include #nzgt, #confessionnight, #EvanNZGT, #5SOSmemories, Santa Parade, Christmas, Wales, Andrew Hore and Welsh.