A man has been arrested over the theft of more than 20 geckos taken from two separate locations in Northland over the past 10 days.

A 28-year-old man died yesterday after the Holden he was driving collided with another car near Whangarei.

Seven native forest geckos have been snatched from their enclosure at a Northland conservation park.

A jury in the Whangarei trial of drug dealer Kyle Skerten has found him guilty of the manslaughter of his 15-month-old stepson, but not guilty of murder.

A 15-month-old boy could have suffered fatal head injuries after using his mattress to bounce out of his cot, a murder trial has been told.

A navy damage control team has boarded a burning ocean-going tug off Northland hours after the crew abandoned ship when fire broke out in the engine room.

A toddler who died after receiving a serious head injury had a skull which looked like "smashed glass", a court has heard.

A mystery woman leapt into the sea to save a boy, 4, who was floating face down and being carried into deeper water on the outgoing tide.

Details of a young girl's ordeal and that of two others were revealed during the sentencing of their attacker, Keith Stewart Luke.