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.

Cantabrians are being asked to dust off their family photo albums and donate images to help preserve the region's heritage.

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.

Six passengers managed to escape a sinking ute as their attempt to cross a South Island river became stuck in the mud.

Emergency services were called to the University of Canterbury's science centre about 1.30pm, following reports of a sulfuric acid vapour spill.

Inspector Corrie Parnell said police were called to the scene of the accident of Feredays Rd, Leeston, about 5.45am today.

What makes Christchurch worse is this is a city and a project that you would not have thought in your wildest dreams they would be sloppy with.

Smoke alarms alerted a family to ceiling fire in their Canterbury home early this morning.

Canterbury's cuisine - like the city of Christchurch itself - is also enjoying a post-quake revival, discovers Nathan Paul.

New Zealand Oil & Gas says exploration drilling of the Barque prospect in the Canterbury Basin, which has the potential to be the nation's biggest-ever hydrocarbon discovery, is expected to start in 2017.

A Canterbury bach was evacuated in the early hours of this morning as an large scrub fire threatened to get out of control.

Police today said the 17-year-old youth would appear in Westport District Court on Thursday.

The crash killed the animal and seriously damaged the patrol car.

Six years on from Yoon Sook Chun's disappearance, police are offering a $30,000 reward for fresh information that might help find her.

This spot is a favourite with Kiwis and visitors year-round, says Elisabeth Easther.