Nelson Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
Tuesday 12 January 2016
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Movies Al Fresco pop up around the region
Local horse almost wins Nelson Cup
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Holidaymaker saves girls from drowning Andrew Board A Christchurch man is being hailed as a hero after saving two Nelson girls off Rabbit Island on Saturday afternoon. Wattie Mortimer, 42, was at Rabbit Island with his wife and two young daughters on the final day of their summer holiday when he heard the cry of help. Two Stoke girls, said to be aged 10 and 11 by members of the Nelson Coastguard, were onboard a $75 inflatable boat when strong winds and an outgoing tide took them away from their mother, who was sitting on the shore with a toddler. Wattie’s wife, Christine, said she asked the lady if she’d like her husband to go after them as they realized they could be in real trouble. Wattie was already in his wetsuit and was swimming in the surf with his daughters when he heard the cries. “People were screaming and yelling out that those kids are out in the boat and drifting, so I started wading out.” Another woman, only known as Kirsty, was in the ocean teaching her young daughter how to
Wattie Mortimer at the Nelson Rescue Centre with his two daughters after he helped save two other girls who got into trouble off Rabbit Island on Saturday afternoon. Wattie was swimming with his girls with the ordeal began. Photo: Andrew Board. surf and starting paddling out after them on her surfboard. After a few minutes of swimming “Kirsty” gave the board to Wattie. “You looked like a big guy who could get out there, I’m only 45kg and didn’t think I’d be able to hold them,” she told Wattie in the Nelson Coastguard building after the
incident. Wattie took the board and continued to paddle out to the girls. He says it felt like he was swimming for ten minutes and he was “exhausted” when he got to them. “I got to them and I knew I couldn’t go back. The wind was just dragging us out and down
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A major renovation for Stoke’s Turf Hotel The iconic Turf Hotel is getting a major overhaul, with diggers ripping down the Hotel’s restaurant and parts of its upstairs accommodation. Part-owner Andy Dwyer says the hotel was built in three phases and the final section, built in the 1960s, was deemed a risk in the event of an earthquake. “It was understrength, so we’ve decided to be pro-active and revamp the area that needed strengthening.” The hotel has two double-storey sections. The part of the hotel on the corner of Main Rd Stoke and Songer St was built in 1907 and passed the earthquake test. The second section next to it was what was added in the 60s and what is coming down.
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the beach as well. So I said, ‘right, we’re staying here until someone comes and gets us.’” Wattie tied the surfboard to the inflatable and waited as they drifted south, towards Tahunanui. He could see his friend on the
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Work being done to the Turf Hotel in Stoke. Photo: Jessie Johnston.
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