A terrifying two kilometre drive the wrong way up a busy Wellington highway has not dampened 98-year-old Harry Spencer’s enthusiasm for driving. In driving rain and darkness last month Mr Spencer and his 92-year-old woman friend drove the length of Wellington’s Ngauranga Gorge in the wrong lane before colliding with an oncoming vehicle. Despite the close call, Mr Spencer is keen to get back behind the wheel, having been discharged on a charge of dangerous driving. Mr Spencer... more>

Ohakune has its carrot, Dargaville the kumara, Paeroa an L&P bottle and Gore has gone overboard with a trout, a guitar and a sheep. Now Dannevirke is to get a Viking. After a period of heated debate, a Viking icon for the southern Hawke’s Bay town has been given the go-ahead by the Tararua District Council. Resource consent for the Viking will come with 10 conditions, related to construction, height and lighting constraints. A 10m-high reinforced glass feature will be made by... more>

Pioneers in New Zealand’s embryonic space industry say they will start work within weeks on their first flight engine for a domestically-launched sub-orbital rocket. Peter Beck, of Auckland, told NZPA his Rocket Lab was developing small unmanned rockets for commercial use, and was already working through the details of two international launch services contracts he hoped would be signed later this year. Rocket Lab was also set to present a paper at an Australian space industry... more>

Mike Heard, long suffering ginga and Bungy Jumping nut, will attempt to jump into the Guinness World Records from 6am, Friday 15 August under the Auckland Harbour Bridge from the AJ Hackett Bungy Pod. The current record for the ’Most Bungy Jumps in 24 hours’ is held by Bill Boshoff (South Africa) who performed 101 Bungy Jumps in 14 hr 23 min at Bloukrans River Bridge, South Africa on 10 May 2002. Mike’s love of the sport is the central reason for the attempt. "I’d... more>

Prime TV staff were left red-faced today when a segment of pornography appeared during its mid-afternoon Toyota Grassroots rugby programme. The segment, supposed to be screening on Sky TV’s pay-per-view Spice channel, appeared for nearly four minutes at about 3pm. Other television channels were quick to report on the botch-up, with TV3 reporting how disgusted and shocked viewers were when the porn suddenly appeared on their screens. Prime Television spokesman Tony O’Brien... more>

Website TradeMe pulled the auction of a Wanganui man’s soul after a record number of complaints, but the controversial item ended up by being bought by Hell Pizza. The pizza company paid $5001 for Walter Scott’s soul after the auction was withdrawn because of a raft of complaints it was in bad taste. The 24-year-old said he had been thinking about selling his soul for ages. "I can’t see it, touch it or feel it, but I can sell it, so I’m going to palm it off to the... more>

While literature and music feature characters who sold their soul to the devil for the promise of eternal life, a Wanganui man is content to just sell it to the highest bidder. Walter Scott put his 24-year-old soul up for sale on internet auction site TradeMe, and so far has received more than 100 expressions of interest. The auction closes at 12pm tomorrow, and bids by 9.00pm tonight had reached $250. The successful bidder will receive a framed deed of soul ownership. Mr Scott said he... more>

The small Tararua farming community of Dannevirke could have a new addition to the main street next month if a "high class" escort agency opens for business. Wairoa woman Teresa McGregor was awaiting confirmation of an operating licence before opening "Promiscuous Girlz" in the historic Public Trust building in High Street. Ms McGregor said she decided to open the brothel after her work in the Dannevirke wool industry dried up. The escort agency would cater to all tastes, with both men... more>

A 20-year-old German tourist due to leave New Zealand later this week caused a stir at the Mt Maunganui hot salt water pools at the weekend. Pouring dishwashing liquid into the pools landed Christoph (correct) Heckwolf in the dock at Tauranga District Court today to answer a charge of burglary by night. A student here on a working permit, Heckwolf pleaded guilty before Judge Thomas Ingram. Prosecutor Sergeant Barry Woon said Heckwolf and a group of associates jumped a surrounding fence... more>

School students carrying bags equivalent to the weight of a sack of spuds is creating a nation of hunchbanks, says a Dunedin physiotherapist. Steve August said an increasing number of children were being left with a "dowager’s hump" caused by a combination of the heavy school backpacks and a sedentary lifestyle. "To an extent, these factors are creating a nation of hunchbacks," he told the Otago Daily Times. Mr August said he saw too many children walking with a stooped posture.... more>