NZ@Noon: Pageant dream becomes nightmare

Taking a look at some of the stories making the headlines around the regions today: A Far North beauty queen feels she has been duped by pageant organisers and a Whangarei primary school gets a very special visitor.

Last year Doubtless Bay woman Lonneke Botello was planning to travel to Berlin as New Zealand's finalist in the Queen of the World beauty pageant. Now she says the dream was a mirage, and she does not believe that she is the only pageant contestant who has been used.

Before Griff the super sniffer even made it into Room 8 at Whangarei Primary School he'd sniffed out a lunch box and freed an apple from a school bag.

A thief broke into homes in Wairarapa because he was hungry. Thanks to his aunties he is now getting a second chance.

A builder has severed his finger while cutting timber with a skillsaw.

A company in Hawke's Bay is calling for the public to report cases of vandalism on its work sites after safety barriers were disturbed on a Napier road, endangering the public.

A young woman has admitted giving false details about stolen property to beef up an insurance claim in Wanganui.

A patient barricaded himself into a Tauranga Hospital bathroom and claimed he had a booby-trap during a stand-off with police.

Finally check out this video of kids giving drivers some quirky road safety advice ahead of the long weekend. No toddling!