Strongman mine disaster happened 50 years ago next week. Paul McBride catches up with the five surviving members of the Mines Rescue teams.

A minute's silence will be observed in Greymouth on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Strongman Mine disaster which claimed 19 lives.

Next week's 50th anniversary of the Strongman Mine disaster may be the last opportunity for many to remember the 1967 tragedy.

Police should not have twice Tasered a drunk West Coast man, authority rules.

Actor and film director Ian Mune slammed the Government today as he joined protesters at the Pike River Mine entrance.

Hundreds of tourists are milling around downtown Greymouth at weekends and evenings.

The West Coast has held on to its dubious record as the wettest place in New Zealand, albeit in the Southern Alps.

Motorists travelling between the West Coast and Canterbury today were urged to go through Lewis Pass after an early morning fire at

Alpine Pure last year renewed its consents with the West Coast Regional Council, and has applied to do the same with the Westland District Council.

DoC says there is significant arsenic, mercury and cyanide contamination of the soil at the Alexander River mine site.

What will start out as a cloudy morning for most of the country should clear as the Christmas day wears on, but the odd shower is in store too.

Bridget McMenamin worked on the Lisa Blakie murder inquiry. She has launched a Facebook page to investigate the 2000 case again.

A 77-year-old man suffered suspected fractured ribs when he was knocked off his push bike in Kilgour Road, Greymouth, this morning.

After extensive fire damage the Greymouth fishing boat Te Aroha has risen from the ashes and is back trawling off the West Coast.

There was a record downpour in Auckland, a tornado in Taranaki and "quake lights" above Wellington. Oh, and 2016 was likely also New Zealand's hottest year on record.

Pike River protestors have been told to move on and remove the gates they put up to block Solid Energy.

Runanga School has canned school camps and all outings for pupils in 2017 while it reviews education outside the classroom (EOTC) activities.

Hokitika woman Lisa Tumahai yesterday stepped into the top role of the billion-dollar Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu.

Prime Minister Bill English has agreed to meet with the Pike River families to discuss a new plan to re-enter the coal mine.

COMMENT: As the owner of Pike River the Govt have the ultimate responsibility, and safety comes first. As much as you want it to be different, blocking roads doesn't change that.

Families of the 29 men killed in the Pike River mining tragedy are standing their ground as they protest against a bid to seal off the mine permanently.

Solid Energy's attempts to seal Pike River mine will be met with a road block after the owners of the access road gave the victim's families legal control of the road.

After Jake Millar's dad died in the Fox Glacier plane crash, the 15-year-old wrote to Prime Minister John Key asking for his advice.

A Greymouth man wanted by police for breach of bail lost control of his vehicle at Taylorville late last night while trying to evade police.

West Coast Fish and Game have come to the aid of the Paringa Salmon Farm and cafe, which lost as many as 13,000 salmon after intruders tampered with the water supply.

A licence to fish for whitebait, much like the Fish and Game sports fishing licence, has been suggested as one way of managing the fishery.

A pair of overdue Canterbury trampers had a lucky escape from predicted bad weather last evening after their delayed arrival at the

Solid Energy has reiterated its decision not to re-enter the Pike River mine on day 23 of the protests.

The Paparoa National Park Management Plan has been approved, paving the way for the creation of the Pike 29 great walk and mountain bike track.

Solid Energy launches a PR offensive to outline why Pike River Mine cannot be re-entered and must be sealed.