A man accused of pointing an air gun at a bar patron was arrested last night after being found with a pistol, tomahawk and cannabis.

A rest home worker who was dismissed after being caught with a gardener in a dead resident's room has been awarded more than $28,000 in compensation.

Police say there was no foul play to a car fire near Nelson in which a person was dead.

Police have recovered a car in which a person died after it went down a bank and was engulfed in flames.

Police are hoping to remove the remains of a body from a burnt out car near Nelson today.

Police are calling for sightings of a car as an investigations into a body found in a burnt out vehicle near Nelson continue.

An elderly person is in hospital this morning following a house fire in Nelson.

The family of a missing Dutch tourist is travelling out from Holland as the search for him continues.

A family with 150 years of brewing history boosts Nelson's craft-beer capital claim, writes Justin Henehan.

Sixty whales from a stranded pod of almost 200 have been successfully refloated near Nelson.

There was hope for 64 stranded pilot whales last night when they were finally helped on their way to the safety of deeper water.

Around 100 volunteers are working frantically to save what is left of a pod of stranded pilot whales near Nelson this morning.

More stranded pilot whales are expected to die as weather conditions and nightfall hamper efforts to save 174 pilot whales that ran into trouble today.

A German tourist was attacked from behind and robbed of his bag, wallet and passport in Nelson early this morning,

Two men have been arrested over a tomahawk attack in Stoke yesterday.

A survey of portable cots for sale in New Zealand has uncovered potentially fatal safety defects - including folding mechanisms that could trap a child's neck.

Name suppression has lapsed for a Marlborough man convicted of 35 crimes including rape, supplying drugs and making objectionable images.

A Nelson lawyer wants to gift a New Zealand holiday to the person who tipped off Brazilian authorities to escaped murderer Phillip John Smith's whereabouts.

A business owner who was mistakenly given thousands of dollars by his bank later had his account put into the red without warning.

A Waikato woman was amazed when a last-minute airfare to travel from Taupo to Nelson cost her $445 - more than a return flight to Sydney.

A Nelson man described as the "mastermind" behind an A$30 million "Ponzi" scheme has been ordered to give up possession of two properties.

Malaysia Airlines crash victim Rob Ayley has finally made it home to New Zealand after his flight was shot down over the Ukraine two months ago.

Pic's Really Good Peanut Butter made in Nelson will be on the shelves of 700 Coles stores in Australia. It's official: Kiwis prefer to slather their toast with locally made peanut butter. Pic Picot, the founder of Pic's Really Good Peanut Butter, says...

Two children were airlifted from the Rainbow Ski Field near Nelson Lakes this afternoon.

The top of the South Island is a fine place to eat and drink, writes Elisabeth Easther.