A school teacher and breast cancer survivor who had surgery to remove her cervix four years ago has complained to the Health and Disability Commissioner after finding last year that part of it was still there.

The driver of a car was lucky to escape alive after colliding with a tree this morning.

A Rotomanu farmer will stand trial early next year for his part in the starvation and death of hundreds of cattle.

A man who was swept away in a swollen West Coast river had been trying to attach a rope to the riverbank after the four-wheel drive vehicle he was in became stuck.

The search for a man washed away while four-wheel-driving has been suspended due to high river levels.

It started well enough, but John Key left Greymouth with a heartfelt plea from the widow of one of the 29 dead Pike River miners ringing in his ears.

A man has been cut out of his truck after it crashed on the West Coast this morning, injuring both his legs.

Police were unable to find the elderly woman who was driving around Cobden on Saturday afternoon yelling at people out the car window.

A 19-year-old man who dropped his pants in front of a police patrol car tried to escape, but was foiled by his trousers around his ankles.

An off-duty police officer who was convicted and discharged with careless driving after crashing following a six-hour drinking session remains on the job.

Marcia Pera isn't able to talk to media for long -- her phone charger is missing, as are her windows, chimney and roof.

Destructive winds wreaked havoc throughout the middle of the country yesterday - tornado struck Greymouth and Wellington was also buffeted, and flights were cancelled.

A tornado has ripped through Greymouth this afternoon, tearing off a roof and damaging up to 10 properties.

A train driver was unaware that a car had crashed into the side of his coal train near Greymouth.

Elisabeth Easther is introduced to the beers that are in the market for perfect suitors.

A visiting plane on a training flight landed safely at the Greymouth aerodrome about 12.15pm today after reporting problems with the landing gear.

The Greymouth Volunteer Fire Bridge had to be called in to rescue Coire the black labrador from an abandoned mine shaft in bush at the top of Power Road on Saturday morning.

A police sergeant who downed six beers and three shots of whisky before crashing his vehicle could not be breath-tested because he didn't report the accident.