Latest fromAshburton

Masked gunman behind spree of pub robberies stays behind bars - for now
Douglas Roake shot two women during a horrific home invasion and robbed six pubs.

‘Devastating’: Ashburton sheep shearer victim of fatal housefire
The Ashburton local is being remembered online as a "beautiful soul".

Body found after Ashburton house fire
A body was found in the debris by investigators on Sunday morning.

Are you a winner? Lotto numbers in for $6m Powerball draw
Tonight's numbers have been drawn.

Lake bacteria poisoning: Warning after swimmer falls ill
The person was exposed to bacteria at Lake Hood before a health warning was issued.

‘Pretty cool’: George Letham wins Young Farmer Tasman final
Sheep shearing proved a challenge but Letham triumphed.

'Wounds that won’t heal': Grieving partner confronts driver who killed loving dad
Marty Wood was killed by a truck driver who drove through a stop sign.

Man who raped woman lying next to sleeping child claims he got his ‘wires crossed’
The court told the rapist his explanation 'smacks' of reducing the gravity of offending.

Major flood warnings issued as ex-Cyclone Alfred hits NSW, Queensland
Anthony Albanese has issued a warning to residents as Alfred continues to threaten homes.

How a race weekend became a dream come true for Norm Stewart
‘Dream burst into reality’ when La Dulcin’ee recorded an emotionally charged win.

National flying championships: Could you drop a bag of sand from a plane and hit a target?
The competition is one of the few times pilots can legally drop objects from an aircraft.

Man who raped woman beside her sleeping child appeals sentence on ‘character’ grounds
Gabriel Apolonio's lawyer said he deserved a shorter jail term due to 'good character'.

‘Pure heartlessness’: Man laundered $44k from 22 victims for Kenya-based scammers
Patrick Neho claimed he did it to feed his children but in reality, he fed his addictions.

The long road to safety: Rakaia’s fight against speed-limit hike
NZTA Waka Kotahi is reviewing Rakaia's speed limit after a community backlash.

Woman’s 10-year experiment living without money
'There were two main reasons I decided to do this experiment,' says Jo Nemeth.

Winning formula: HB family’s unbeaten run in horse racing
The Andersens enjoyed a 100% winning rate this past week.

Government backpedals on some automatic speed reversals, says consultation now possible
'There is local support for the speed limits to stay lower,' says Chris Bishop.

Cat crackdown could be on the way for Mid Canterbury
Ashburton District Council asked to investigate introducing a cat management programme.

‘I am not an oligarch’: Russian millionaire on coming to NZ
Alexandre Germanovich sits down with Kurt Bayer after a decade of being miscast.

Blues, board games and Find & Go Seek this weekend
A roundup of events happening in Gisborne-Tairāwhiti this weekend, beyond and regularly.

The Canterbury council paying influencers to boost tourism
Ratepayer-funded influencers are paying off in Canterbury, local tourism operators say.