Things turned from bad to worse on Omahu Road when a truck lost part of it’s load of apples at the round-a-bout. Nearby business staff and customers helped pick up hundreds of apples as traffic backed up on the troubled intersection.

Messy situation at the intersection of Omahu Road and State Highway 50a after a truck lost a load of apples. Friday 27 February 2009. Credit: K A Marshall Limited / Kerry Marshall

Photos shot for NZPA at the scene of a tourist bashed into a coma following a stag party are here.

Police investigate a serious assualt in Gloucester Street, Taradale, following a stag party. Napier, New Zealand. Friday 27 February 2009. Credit: NZPA / Kerry Marshall

Hastings and Napier firefighters attended a pallet fire which was also found to contain a copper based plant food. Napier 5116 was called in and firefighters in level 3 splash suits cleaned up. More photos on the Photoserver and NZPA.

Firefighters in Level 3 chemical protection suits are decontaminated after a shed and pallet fire in Norton Road, Hastings, that caused a HAZCHEM alert and a local in-house evacuation. Monday 23 February 2009. Credit: NZPA / Kerry Marshall

In Palmerston North for the NZ 2009 Sprintcar championships I had the chance to look for different photos. Shooting with other SportsImages photographers allowed me to stay outside the track the whole night and try other options. First stop was the top of the grandstand.

Then it was the pit gate for some real dirty fun. There’s more mud thrown around here than at Meeanee…

…but the best fun of the night was with GTs’ 14mm Sigma F2.8. I climed the wire safety fence beside the starter and stuck the lens through for the start and finish of the final race. A little bit of fill flash and some of the frames came out ok…

Emmerson Street, Napier, was a popular place to be for the 2009 Art Deco Vintage car parade. I managed to get a telephoto self-portrait in some shiny chrome as the cars went past.