Latest fromOtago

Trainer dies after horse ramp drops
Horse racing trainer Steve Anderton has died in hospital after a freak accident at the family stables near Mosgiel yesterday.

No charges over inmate's death
No charges will be laid in relation to the death of a man in Otago Corrections Facility four years ago.

Room check: Kinloch Lodge, Glenorchy
Shandelle Battersby checks into a remote Central Otago lodge that's worth the journey.

Dead puppy in suitcase 'suspicious'
The death of a puppy found inside a suitcase in a Milton cemetery is being treated as suspicious, a SPCA Otago inspector says.

Trouble-plagued ship's new woes
Trouble has again hit the Melilla 201. It's been tied up at a Dunedin wharf for two years, and nearly ran aground as it tried to leave yesterday.

21 days to get rid of 22 cats
'The time has come for reality to sink in,' said a judge as he ordered an Invercargill woman to dispose of 22 of cats.

'Explosive' fire risk for South Island
Department of Conservation gives warning as ground crews launch another onslaught against a large scrub fire ripping through more than 300ha at Arthurs Pass.

Electricity settlement win for 'wee guy'
He spent 18 months without power after his electricity supplier refused to reconnect him after a storm. Now he's won an out-of-court settlement - and an apology.

Invercargill 'cat lady' denies charges
An Invercargill woman went to great lengths to hide her face yesterday during a court hearing over the 25 cats she keeps on her property.

Police name Taiwanese visitor who drowned in Central Otago
A Taiwanese visitor who drowned at a Central Otago lake last week has today been named by police.

Farmers prepare for the big dry
As hot, dry weather threatens to create a drought, farmers are preparing for the worst.

Search underway for missing swimmer in Cromwell
A search is underway for a swimmer who went missing in Cromwell in Central Otago this afternoon.

German tramper feared missing
A search and rescue operation is underway near Queenstown after a German tourist failed to return a locator beacon by his "panic date".

Deadly object to remain a mystery
The object that flew through a windscreen, killing a young driver, has never been found - and now a coroner has said, it's unlikely that it ever will be.

Key-taking driver unapologetic
'Would you rather have distressed kids in the back of the car, or dead kids splattered across the windscreen?' A man defends taking keys off a tourist driver.

Gust blows boy 1km across lake
"He had the wind up him, so to speak." A 5-year-old was found clutching on to reeds after being blown across Lake Waihola on an inflatable toy this afternoon.

'Always in my heart. Love, Mum. xx'
She still thinks of them every day. Katharine Webb has penned a touching memoriam for her two children, killed at the hands of their father.

Driver's speeding excuse after pursuit
A driver who stole a car and drove it 28km at speeds of up to 160kmh told police he didn't stop, because he had no licence and had been drinking.

Overpaid caretakers to cough up
Two men employed by a high school in Otago have been ordered to repay the school's board following a Novopay error.

Barbed wire laid across beach access
''It's pretty disappointing and done by a sick mind," says a man who discovered dozens of pieces of barbed wire across an accessway to a Dunedin beach.

Otago: Say hello to Clutha and its surrounds
Sarah Lang gets on her bike for her health – and a slice of history.

Huge risk expands fire ban
A total fire ban is across Otago as authorities warn of extreme risk of a major blaze which could take weeks to put out.

NZ fire risk soars with summer heat
As temperatures soar above 30C across parts of the country, so has demand for firefighters as tinder-dry conditions create the perfect environment for forest and scrub fires.

Elderly couple found dead in Dunedin
Police are investigating after an elderly Dunedin couple was found dead in their home this morning.

Cricket: Auckland win again as trio keep runs flowing
Auckland are two from two and rolling along nicely in the domestic 50-over competition after cleaning up Canterbury at Eden Park yesterday.