"This is not an easy thing to tell you, but we are having a tough time": Owner bares soul.

Shaken bystander: "There wasn't much we could do."

Difficult two weeks and not getting any easier in provincial rugby competition.

There is a heavy rain watch is in force for Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.

Teams welcome back their NZ Heartland XV players for games going right down to the wire.

A widespread burst of thunderstorms brought over 1300 lightning flashes within an hour.

Five Chinese tourists, including a child, were killed in a bus crash this week at Ngātira.

Strong Whanganui flavour to Jack Hobbs and NZ Barbarians schools 1st XV rugby tournaments.

Five of the 7 cases of measles are all from the same family who live outside the Waikato.

The part-time student contracted the disease from a family member.

A draw was probably fair following an up and down night for Waikato against Auckland.

Rugby World Cup squad with some Super Rugby regulars is too strong for the amateurs.

Only West Coast and North Otago still unbeaten after two games.

Dog owners' personal details were sent to the wrong houses in the Waikato.

First round of games honours memory of All Black and Heartland legend Sir Brian Lochore

Five more days of rain, Auckland. Can you do it?

And September and October are not looking too great either.

The Mooloo men need a solid result in Pukekohe on Saturday night.

Road from Tuakau to Port Waikato closed at this stage.

Lime Scooters will be rolled out onto Hamilton Streets this Friday.

Secrecy clause means ratepayers can't know much the celebrity host will be paid.

Collection of 'Mad Men'-era vintage clothes goes under the hammer in Auckland.

A 40-14 loss suggests there is a lot to work on to avoid being mid-table battlers.

Bianca Buckley described her murdered fiance as 'my greatest teacher, my protector'.

Police investigating the murder of Australian tourist Sean McKinnon hunt for firearm

Aerial footage of the massive sea of moving snow that closed Tūroa ski field on Thursday.