Sometimes, the Christchurch mayoress confides, the Parkers go home to their darkened house to hide from their fears.

Christchurch was last night slammed by its biggest aftershock since the day of the devastating February 22 earthquake.

Out of the rubble of one of NZ's greatest tragedies could come one of the world's most celebrated cities if we get Christchurch's rebuild right.

The Christchurch boy killed a day before his 15th birthday when the earthquake struck has been farewelled.

A large aftershock has hit quake-weary Christchurch this evening, with fears it may have caused more damage.

The names of six more people who police have confirmed died in the February 22 Christchurch earthquake have been released.

Search teams who were bracing for grim news had a "surreal" moment when they discovered no bodies buried in the ChristChurch Cathedral spire that had collapsed during last week's devastating earthquake.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says if he had his way, most of Christchurch's heritage buildings would be bowled tomorrow.

An Australian searcher who helped remove victims from the earthquake-ravaged Canterbury TV building says bringing closure to families was his way of coping with the devastation.

The Dean of Christchurch Cathedral, Peter Beck, has told of his elation upon hearing no bodies had been found in the wreckage of the cathedral and its collapsed spire.

Lyttelton resident and property developer Janet Stott thinks the rebuild of the shattered town will embrace sustainability as people move toward a lower energy lifestyle.

Rescuers were on the verge of recovering bodies from the Christchurch Cathedral's collapsed spire last night, after 10 painstaking days spent securing the fragile structure.

Downtown Auckland was a good place to be at 12.51pm on Tuesday.

Marcel Mihulka had carefully planned a romantic candlelit proposal at a hot spa overlooking Queenstown's Shotover River.

Teens who struggled to buy tickets won their fight to get their money back after their swimming event in Christchurch was cancelled.