NZ@Noon: Ben's first birthday bash out of hospital

Whakatane boy Ben Kjeldsen had a blast at his first real birthday celebration, after years of frequent hospital visits prevented him from having any parties.

Regional headlines today include a caregiver who stole from his blind aunt, a man who walked away with some possessions of the Black Sticks, and a mysterious Hawke's Bay picnic event.

Ten-year-old Ben Kjeldsen, whose rare illness has robbed him of many birthday parties, has managed to have a big celebration with his friends for the first time.

Thousands of baby clothes will be given away at a Baby Festival in Whangarei organised by teenagers to support struggling families.

Sisters Latoya Hood (left) and Kasey hope their Baby Festival in Nov will help many Whangarei families. Photo / Jessica Roden

Dress in white, turn up with a picnic, wine and dine, then vanish - that's the concept of a

mysterious picnic event in Hawke's Bay this Sunday

.

The Black Sticks lost more than Sunday's match against their American opponents while they were in Wairarapa.

A Wanganui caregiver who stole money from his blind aunt and spent some of it on Facebook games has been sentenced to jail.

"Stealing from us is crap." An irate Northland man is appealing for information after thieves managed to steal sheets of iron weighing two or three tonnes.

Finally, a runner from the Bay of Plenty was selected to lead the Tauranga leg of the world's largest grassroots relay for peace as a torch-bearer yesterday.