A priest had to "shimmy'' down a fire escape this morning.

A Southland home was badly damaged by a blaze that tore through it overnight.

This week we are publishing the full Amber-Lee Cruickshank case podcast transcript.

The Herald is publishing the full transcripts of Chasing Ghosts, the case of Amber-Lee.

The Herald visits the southernmost mosque in the world.

Fisherman collapsed and died in the water as horrified wife watched on.

11-year-old Hunter Dunnage got the Christmas surprise of a lifetime this morning,

Crime reporters Sam Hurley and Anna Leask look back at some of the year's biggest cases.

Killer's court statement draws ire of groups that battle domestic violence.

Cop who executed his wife and tried to kill her new lover has been jailed for life.

Husband searched online for cheap rifles then took gloves, handcuffs, radio in bag

Cop called his children after shooting their mother.

The offenders were aged between 11 and 16 years old.

Horrific video of a kitten being stoned in New Zealand has emerged online.

Southern city failed in its Guinness World Record attempt.

She did it "because kids get so bored with learning about the basic stuff".

The boy's parents described the room - which measured 1.3m x 1.8m - as "barbaric".

South Island man has serious eye injury after firework was shot directly in his face.

Police appeal for information about the 1992 disappearance of Amber-Lee Cruickshank.

Invercargill residents told to save water after explosion takes out pump station.

The final episode of Chasing Ghosts reveals the Cruickshank family's 25-year torment.

A spate of fires across the country has damaged homes and destroyed a business premises.

A Givealittle page will be set up tonight to help the family with costs

A Gore dairy employee was attacked with a machete during the robbery.

One person is trapped following a crash involving a concrete truck in Southland.

Council urged to assess all points of view before ruling on contentious euthanasia method.

A total of 3701 infringement notices had been issued with $442,417 recovered.

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake has struck south-west of Invercargill.

The man was missing for at least 10 hours.

The 88-year-old left his care home in Glengarry around 7.30pm.