A Christchurch lifeguard could only watch in horror as a cliff began to collapse just above the youngsters he was supervising - including his son.

Environment Canterbury is standing by its decision not to fine or prosecute Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias and her businessman husband Hugh Fletcher after photos emerged of their cattle drinking out of a North Canterbury lake.

The newly appointed vice-chancellor at Canterbury's Lincoln University says he wanted to find out more about the tertiary institution before he took on the job.

A fire which ripped through a property in Canterbury could have led to more tragic consequences had those inside not woken up to the sound of windows smashing.

A light plane crashed near Sheffield in Canterbury after the pilot misjudged the landing.

Two seriously injured young children crawled to safety as their father lay dead in their car after a crash on Ashburton Gorge Rd last night.

A South Canterbury deputy principal who suffered a suspected heart attack at school remains in hospital and is breathing on her own, after she was revived by quick thinking colleagues.

A Canterbury schoolgirl who says she was raped and violated by five men in sand dunes after a beach bonfire, a court heard today.

Staff at a school in Canterbury used the school's defibrillator to help one of their colleagues who collapsed this morning.

Officers are looking into how prills of DDT and arsenic came to be in a Canterbury river.

Police are conducting a scene examination after a man was hit by a train and killed in Canterbury.

Cantabrians making the most of the warmer temperatures are being reminded to keep their houses securely locked up.

New Zealand Cup and Show week was previewed in Christchurch yesterday with a business breakfast to celebrate the annual event's influence in the region.

The Mackenzie Country is full of photo opportunities. Megan Singleton finds five of the most scenic.

South Islanders can be forgiven for thinking they're already in the middle of summer.

An extensive search of difficult terrain has failed to throw up any clues to the whereabouts of a missing Canterbury man.

A blaze the size of three rugby fields was battled by 18 crews last night at the edge of the Ashly Forest in Canterbury.

They are urging anyone who has seen or heard from Raymond Finnie since September 25 to get in touch.

Visit the world's top hideaway in tiny Tai Tapu.

The two young tourists who died after falling into Lake Tekapo yesterday have been named.

Hanmer Springs offers more than just hot pools, learns Elisabeth Easther.

The South Island town of Tekapo is bursting with things to do, discovers Megan Singleton.

Police have named the man who died in a head-on collision on Sunday night near Dunsandel, Canterbury.

Emergency services were called out to Dunsandel after two cars crashed head on.

So far, so good for the university student pub crawl, but wary police are aware "the day is but young".

Police, fire and ambulance services were called to Maronan Road, near the Hinds River Bridge, shortly after 4.30pm after reports of a truck going over the bank.

The family of a man who died after falling from a barn roof in Canterbury are being supported by family, friends and neighbours.

Police investigating unexplained deaths of Canterbury woman's two babies, looking into a form of child abuse involving the exaggeration or fabrication of illnesses.

Police said emergency services were called to an address in Waipopo Rd in Temuka, north of Timaru, about 2pm.