A man who tried to revive a toddler drowned in a rubbish bin full of rainwater says he'll "live with it for the rest of my life". The toddler drowned while his mother was in the toilet.

A new book and exhibition by photographer Fiona Pardington examines the historic - and now derided - practice of taking casts of people's heads to study their brains. Some were her ancestors.

Firefighters have been working flat out in New Plymouth today assessing the damage after two tornadoes tore through the city early this morning.

Police say an elderly woman who sneaked out of a New Plymouth rest home, checked herself into a motel for the night.

Apparently, rocking horses around New Zealand have been gradually culled from playgrounds in recent years.

Liz Light discovers the delights of windy and wave-pounded Taranaki.