A Pahiatua man who took part in the organised killing of 16 sheep has pleaded guilty today in the Palmerston North District Court.

A residential street in Bulls will be cordoned off after it was discovered a mortar bomb had been used as a garden ornament for about a year.

There are increasing hotel sales and new hotel construction activity, with the industry showing signs of renewed optimism that is expected to continue into 2015, says Dean Humphries, national director of hotels at Colliers International.

A man who indecently abused young boys over nearly a decade has narrowly avoided a sentence of preventive detention.

A woman was killed and a cyclist seriously injured in two serious crashes in the central North Island early this morning.

Ports of Auckland, Napier Port and cold storage specialist Icepak have formed a joint venture to develop a new $20 million inland port and freight hub at Longburn, near Palmerston North.

Police say a "huge cup of good luck" is all that stopped what has been described as a "random" shooting in Fielding becoming a homicide.

A young woman wept as she admitted causing the death of her preschool-age child in a hearing at the Palmerston North High Court today.

Police have revealed a transgender woman, who prompted an outpouring of support after reports she was bashed, actually sustained her injuries falling out of a tree.

Small town New Zealand does wonderful and whacky to keep up our winter spirits.

A missing Rangitikei man, who hasn't been seen for a week, has been found in a hay barn, police say.

A four-year-old boy injured in a quad-bike crash in Canterbury last month has died in hospital.

A 4-year-old boy is in hospital with serious injuries after being involved in a quad bike accident this afternoon.

A woman who was found with critical injuries at a Feilding house has died, leading police to upgrade an investigation to a homicide inquiry.

A police investigation is underway after a woman was admitted to Palmerston North Hospital with critical, unexplained injuries.

Two people have been taken to hospital following a head-on collision outside Palmerston North this afternoon.

A 16-year-old moped rider died last night after his bike collided with a car in Palmerston North.

Despite warnings of protesting and violence, the controversial Lundy Three Hundy has gotten off to a quiet start.

The controversial Lundy Three Hundy car rally will go ahead this weekend despite fears of protests, its organiser says.

An elderly man ran for help as his son was shot in the leg during an argument in a Palmerston North street.