NZ@Noon: Pony tale and call to close bars

Kevin Tamati opposes the way "alcohol is normalised in sport".

A good deed gone wrong in Wanganui and a call to close bars for the Rugby World Cup in Hawke's Bay are just two of the stories making headlines around the regions today.

A sad end for this pony tale - an attempt to mend a fence and stop a pony escaping has earned a 26-year-old Wanganui man a conviction.

A Rugby League rep in Hawke's Bay wants bars to stay closed during world cup matches because he believes it normalises the "unhealthy connection between rugby and alcohol."

New homes and tradespeople are being targeted by thieves in Papamoa.

A rogue bore which exploded in Rotorua recently has been killed.

An invasive marine pest is making its presence known in Whangaroa Harbour.

And finally, Wairarapa believes a new 100-room hotel is just what the area needs to support the growing tourism industry.