The ongoing impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes are disproportionately impacting children from low-income families, with health problems and family violence on the rise, a new report says.

A lifestyle block farmer who bashed two pigs with a heavy steel bar in a "prolonged and violent attack" in front of an upset teenage boy has been jailed today.

About 1500 litres of aviation fuel leaked into Lyttelton Harbour after a storage tank was damaged by a landslip during the storm that hit the area earlier this week.

It took less than 20 minutes for the Mongrel Mob to pluck sex worker Ngatai 'Mellory' Manning off the street before raping, bashing, and murdering her, the Crown alleges.

Murder accused Mauha Fawcett, who is conducting his own trial, has elected not to take the stand, after declaring 'his life is on the line'.

Two men suffered broken bones when a small plane crashed into a paddock north of Christchurch yesterday.

A month after telling police he took part in the brutal murder of Christchurch prostitute Mellory Manning, Mongrel Mob prospect Mauha Fawcett backtracked on his story.

Murder victim Mellory Manning's DNA was found on a knife recovered just metres from where her body was dumped in a Christchurch river, a court heard today.

An extremely rare mutated grass pollen found on Mellory Manning's clothing matched samples taken from the Mongrel Mob gang pad where police say she was brutally murdered.

A man who hired sex worker Mellory Manning on the night she was killed was unable to reach her by text later that night, the High Court at Christchurch has been told.

Christchurch sex worker Mellory Manning had consumed a variety of drugs in the days and hours before she was brutally murdered, a jury has been told today.

A witness who sold drugs to slain Christchurch sex worker Mellory Manning has described hearing a "blood-curdling" scream coming from the direction of a Mongrel Mob gang pad the night Mellory Manning was killed.

Ngatai 'Mellory' Manning was raped, bashed, and stabbed at a Mongrel Mob gang pad before her mutilated body was dumped in a river, a court has heard today.

Serene and beautiful. You'll love this place, writes Elisabeth Easther.

A 20-year-old found guilty of stabbing his friend in the eye outside a Flockton Street party in Christchurch last year will be sentenced today.

A male has died in a suspicious fire at a Northern Canterbury sleepout today, police say.

A "couch bike" for sale on Trade Me is giving Cantabrians the option of holding red zone tours "without destroying the ozone layer".

'It will be nice to have an apology.' Police are to compensate pensioner John Bennett for the way he was roughed up by armed officers in his own home two years ago.

The fatal plane crash yesterday in Canterbury, which caused a fire so hot it melted the fuselage, was witnessed by glider pilot John McCaw, uncle of All Black Richie McCaw.

Two pilots have died in separate incidents involving gliders in North Canterbury and South Auckland today.