A man has died after being struck by a train on the North Island main trunk line at Taihape.

The young occupants of car that plunged more than 30 metres down a cliff this morning have "miraculously" survived.

Two minor earthquakes hit central parts of both main islands today.

John Eagles has been drinking at the Gretna Hotel for nearly 60 years after moving to Taihape, a place that he'll likely never leave.

The number of road deaths over the Christmas-New Year holiday period edged one higher than last year following a motorcyclist death yesterday afternoon.

The Christmas-New Year holiday period road toll has risen to seven following the death of a motorcyclist.

The three men, two in their mid-30s and one in his mid-50s, were all transported to hospital to receive treatment for their injuries.

A grass fire that started just before midday on Mt Stewart at Taihape, adjacent to Mataroa Rd/State Highway 1 is still burning.

Elisabeth Easther finds comfort in New Zealand's gumboot capital.

A Manawatu teen was today jailed for eight years and three months for the attempted murder of a Taihape policeman last year. Bruce Mellor was left for dead when he was attacked from behind with a machete after pulling over a stolen red

Police are still appealing for sightings of a van seen in the area early on the morning when Lachan Kelly-Tumarae was fatally shot by police.

One of two teenagers charged with attempted murder after a policeman was attacked with a machete at Taihape on December 11 last year has pleaded guilty.

A man accused of attacking a police officer was in 2005 being hailed as a success story in a school bullying project.

The two teens accused of a brutal machete attack on a police officer are to be charged with attempted murder.

A police officer injured in a brutal machete attack needs more hospital treatment for his facial and head injuries.