NZ@Noon: Surprise visitor and forgotten hero

PIckles the orca was spotted following a kayaker in PIlot Bay.

A surprise visit for a Tauranga kayaker and an honoured hero in the Wairarapa are just two of the stories making headlines around the regions today.

A Tauranga man was given a "completely new experience" when a couple of big dorsal fins started following his kayak.

A forgotten hero from the Wairarapa has been honoured high on the hills of Mount Victoria in Wellington.

A Rotorua preschool is one step closer to getting a fairy tale ending thanks to these students.

A Northland firefighter is feeling the heat as he battles blazes in Cananda.

Toxic gas from a troubled new kiln at Pan Pac's Whirinaki Mill may have exceeded safety guidelines in Hawke's Bay.

A Marton man has been awarded $6000 compensation after his vehicle proved less fuel-efficient than he expected.

When inspiration struck this Waikato woman, she decided to take matters into her own hands to make her dream a reality - and it's paying off.

And finally, an ailing sea turtle found on 90 Mile Beach is getting a new chance at life.