Latest from Tauranga

'I thought it was just us'

Tauranga woman who's struggled to find work says she wants to reach out and offer her support to those in similar situations, after emails from well-wishers.

A fitting fly-over farewell for Dambuster pilot

A humbling and fitting farewell for war hero, father and friend Les Munro was held in Tauranga this afternoon.

Aucklanders buying up big in regions

Aucklanders are leaving in such numbers that half the house sales in the Waikato outside Hamilton and nearly a quarter in Tauranga are to those from the big city.

Man arrested after escaping custody last month

A man who escaped custody from Tauranga District Court last month has been arrested in Northland.

Minor injuries following Tauranga crash

One person suffered minor injuries after their car struck a light post in Tauranga this afternoon.

One injured in wool shed fire overnight

A fire is a woodshed in under investigation this morning after a person was seriously injured in the blaze.

Car crashes into house in Tauranga

A car has left the road and crashed into a house in Tauranga this afternoon.

Tauranga's new road 'not a racetrack'

Motorists are driving in excess of 125 km/h on the new Tauranga Eastern Link road and police fear someone could be killed.

Yacht crew winched to safety

Wind gusts and a boisterous swell 137km off the Tauranga coast did not prevent a helicopter medic from landing on a stricken yacht to rescue its two crew.

Kiwi dies playing squash in London

A New Zealand man has died while playing a game of squash in London.

Gales cancel Auckland ferry services

Gale force winds blowing across Auckland have forced the cancellation of some ferry services and have made driving conditions hazardous.

Mini tornado rips through the bay

Wild weather has continued to batter the Bay of Plenty region with high winds flipping a plane on the runway at Tauranga Airport. Plus: Aerial photos of the devastation.

Plane flips at Tauranga Airport

High winds have causes a plane to flip on the runway at Tauranga Airport.

Tornado rips through Mount Maunganui

Tornadoes smashed through Mt Maunganui last night, damaging homes, ripping roofs from buildings and sending trampolines and outdoor furniture flying. ASB Baypark Stadium also lost parts of its grandstand roof. Firefighters responded to numerous calls about roofs being ripped of houses around Lodge Ave and Links Ave. Mount Maunganui Intermediate is closed after announcing that it had suffered "considerable damage".

One dead in fatal house fire

Police say the man who died in a fire at a sleep-out in the Bay of Plenty was an 18-year-old local.

Tornado hits Mount Maunganui

Emergency services in Tauranga responded to multiple calls about a tornado. The New Zealand Herald understands up to 15 roofs have been damaged or lifted off after the area at Mount Maunganui was hit at 8.45pm. Firefighters responded to numerous calls about roofs being ripped of houses around Lodge Ave and Links Ave.