While most of the country is awash with the Christmas spirit, it appears Nelson forgot about the festivities.

A German tourist received nasty bites when he crossed paths with a "grumpy seal" at Abel Tasman National Park.

Police are seeking two men after one cut a teenage boy's arm with a knife.

A Dutch rock climber was injured after falling 14m at a popular climbing spot in the South Island this afternoon.

Six fire crews are battling a "well involved" Nelson house fire and searching the property to see if anyone is inside.

Wellingtonians and people living on the top of the South Island were shaken awake as a strong quake rattled the centre of the country.

Judges orders boss to pay $12,000 to worker seriously injured when fuel tank exploded.

Police are calling for witnesses to two attempted assaults on the same woman in Nelson last night.

New Zealand is in for a relatively dry day today with areas of morning cloud and isolated showers in the north, clearing around midday and becoming mostly sunny.

A number of schools have been closed due to flooding, affecting some students due to sit exams after afternoon.

Thieves stole a number of firearms from a South Island house while the occupants were evacuated due to yesterday's tsunami warning.

Newly-weds have a rocky start to their married life.

Most schools will open tomorrow, following hundreds of closures after the quake.

Primary responsibility for civil defence emergency management at a local level rests with your local council.

It's beginning to feel like summer in some parts of the country, with pohutukawa bursting into bloom. "People have been getting a

Lotto players in Auckland, Paraparaumu, Nelson and Dunedin got a pleasant surprise tonight.

District health boards report bad stuff that happens to patients

A man has died and another has been seriously injured after the motorcycle they were on crashed into a tree today.

A dog attacked Gordon Jenkins' wife. He responded by stabbing it 43 times in the neck.

A group of schoolchildren made a lucky escape before their school bus was completely gutted by fire in Nelson this afternoon.

Father hid cellphone in bathroom laundry basket to film people naked while they showered, according to court report.

Police are searching for a ute or trailer after a cyclist was injured when he hit two pieces of concrete in a cycling lane in Nelson.

A New Zealand-owned fishing trawler called Endurance has run aground at the Boulder Bank in Nelson this morning.

Changes undermine value of national bowel screening programme, expert says.

In a week: There are always plenty of reasons to head to Nelson - wine, food, sunshine, wine, food - but next week there are even

Nelson blade runner Liam Malone has been given a key to Nelson at a public ceremony on the steps of Nelson Cathedral this afternoon.

A woman was indecently assaulted by a teenager who talked his way in to her Nelson home saying he needed to use the toilet.

Police are seeking a 26-year-old man with grave concerns for his safety.

A man has been rescued by helicopter after his float plane crashed in the Marlborough Sounds this evening. The Nelson Marlborough

A man who continually sexually assaulted a drunk French tourist despite her repeatedly telling him to stop said the victim was "into it".