Northland news in brief: Weather inspires book; Dog day fundraiser

The idea for the book Changing Landscapes came out of our incredibly wet year of downpours, cyclonic winds and multiple landslips.

Flash fiction anthology

Writers from all over Northland are celebrating the publication and launch of an exciting new anthology of flash and micro fiction titled Changing Landscapes. The idea for the book came out of our incredibly wet year of downpours, cyclonic winds and multiple landslips.

Whangārei Library’s Flash Fiction group called for submissions with a theme of our many and varied changing landscapes, from climate change and natural disasters to life, family and relationship shifts. The range of submissions reflected the vast imagination of our Northland writers, young and old.

The anthology includes stories from 35 different writers, and no stories are longer than 300 words. The word limit challenged writers to tell complex stories in just a few paragraphs.

The book has been funded by a grant from Creative Communities. Changing Landscapes will be launched on November 25, at Dickens Inn.

Dog day fundraiser

Northland Petfood is hosting a Dog Day Out to raise funds for Bay of Islands Animal Rescue on December 2. The day of fun for people and pooches is at 12 Mill Lane in Kerikeri and includes a sausage sizzle and raffles. The event starts at 9am with competitions from 12 to 12.30pm for waggiest butt, best dressed, best trick, best owner/dog lookalike and cutest kid and their dog. Pets will also be available for adoption. Check out Facebook for details.

Car crashed into creek

Two people were taken to hospital with critical injuries after the car they were travelling in lost control and crashed into a creek in Dargaville.

Police were alerted to the single-vehicle crash on State Highway 12 at 2.50pm on Saturday.

Analyst Jeff Cramp of Northland Serious Crash Unit said one male and one female, aged in their 20s, were heading north from Dargaville when the male driver lost control while attempting a right-hand bend.

Police were investigating whether speed was a factor in the crash.

“What we do know is that neither of the vehicle occupants had a seatbelt on and could have prevented much harm to themselves if they just followed the road rules,” Cramp said.

Investigations suggest their vehicle crossed the centre line, mowed through a gap between an Armco barrier and farm fence, traversed long grass and crashed upside down into a floodgate culvert area adjacent to Colville Rd.”

A roadworker who witnessed the crash went to help the pair, who were both unconscious inside the upturned vehicle.

Cramp said the roadworker pulled the occupants from the car and alerted emergency services.

Both were then flown in two separate helicopters to hospital.