Meteorite crashes into clock tower | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

A flaming meteorite smacked into Stratford’s clock tower yesterday afternoon, setting it ablaze and knocking the top half off the building.
A small crowd taking photos of the glockenspiel in action were unhurt by the explosion, and most of the visitors took great photographs, although the figure of Romeo was decapitated during an impassioned part of his speech to Juliet.
American visitor to Taranaki, Hiram Glinge was amazed when the meteorite hit.
“I first thought it was a very realistic part of the glockenspiel action, though I struggled to recall the fire action during the balcony scene. But when my Hawaiian shirt began to smoulder I became a little worried.
“The darned thing bounced right off Romeo’s head and created a big crater on the middle of the road and Mary-Lou was so excited she nearly fell in,” he said.
“I’ve never seen a tourist attraction like it. The whole tower eventually burned to the ground and although Mary-Lou and I clapped vigorously after the flames died, some of the locals did not seem so impressed.
Meteorologists say the chances of a flaming meteor hitting the clock tower are 18 million to one and chances of a Romeo decapitation are even higher.
Workmen began re-building the tower late yesterday and the work is expected to be completed by lunchtime today.
For more information on this story please check out the date on today’s paper.