Mystery surrounds the disappearance of Westport man, Willem van Vuuren, 54, who was reported missing on May 12.

Lightning strikes have fried modems and computers in Westport over the past week.

Police have charged a 22-year-old man with arson in relation to three fires in Westport's main street in recent months.

Kiwi woman Lucretia Britt says she knows her home and business are still standing in fire-ravaged Fort McMurray, Canada, but has no idea of how badly damaged they are.

Searches throughout Buller have failed to find missing Westport man, Willem Hendrik van Vuuren, aged 54.

Housing New Zealand has sold 18 state houses on the West Coast over the past four years netting $2,852,600.

WorkSafe has decided not to prosecute Landcorp for the quadbike death of a Westport dairy assistant a year ago.

A man is in critical condition after falling from a truck at a wharf onto a boat below.

All four schools in the Westport area have fewer students than they did this time last year -- a sign of the times say their principals.

Buller's mayor has been toting a chainsaw and a paintbrush and his wife has been shouldering a shovel, tarting up Westport for the Prince of Wales' visit.

A Westport man has been convicted of his ninth drink-driving charge after he collided with a police car while driving on Stout Street.

A man who wants to set up an American hotdog stand in Westport says he's had the run-around from the Buller District Council.

Work on a 35km-long cycleway from Charleston to Westport is underway.

Dylan Paul Boustridge, 18, of Rangiora, was sentenced in the Westport District Court.

It was the driver's seventh excess breath alcohol offence, and one of the highest readings in Westport this year.

The effects of a smash which seriously injured three people were so catastrophic a judge ordered police to release a photograph to the media.

After a conscience-wrestle that culminated in a tied vote, Buller district councillors last night quashed an application for more pokie machines in Westport.

Police staff said the man, who also happened to be a disqualified driver, was extremely drunk.

Some West Coast District Health Board staff are worried Westport won't have enough hospital and aged residential care beds.

A tourist was airlifted to hospital yesterday evening after his rental van crashed and rolled on to its roof near Charleston, blocking State Highway 6 for about two hours.

A dispute between KiwiRail and Solid Energy over what the rail service is paid to transport coal was inevitable, says West Coast-Tasman Labour MP Damien O'Connor.

Solid Energy acting chairman Andy Coupe admitted it was "unlikely" that any sale, or sales, would cover its outstanding debt.

Mr Key said Solid Energy had $300 million of outstanding debt and was in a "precarious position".

GRAPHIC CONTENT: A former Westport dairy manager has been convicted on a raft of charges of wilful and reckless animal cruelty.

A chimney fire attended in Westport last night has highlighted the danger of people taking batteries out of smoke alarms to be used in other gadgets.

A Westport man has avoided receiving a harsher sentence for burglary after the man whose house he broke into spoke in his favour in the Westport District Court.

A Westport woman has admitted to careless driving causing the death of 66-year-old Seddonville woman Marie Evelyn Johnston, after initially denying the charge.

More than 20 jobs will be lost when Downer closes its West Coast offices at the end of August.

A tractor on the West Coast that was reported missing has been found, and a woman has been trespassed after trying to order a birthday cake.

Police today said the 17-year-old youth would appear in Westport District Court on Thursday.