Bunbury Herald: Must-read top three stories

In today’s Bunbury Herald, learn the gripping details of how one South West 68-year-old grandmother survived a terrifying four days in bushland with no food, water or phone; quiet streets in the South West as holidaymakers choose to stay home rather than mask up; and Bunbury product Chloe Piparo has signed a contract extension at the Perth Scorchers.

Anna vs Wild: A grandmother’s tale of survival

The 68-year-old grandmother who was found alive after she became lost in bushland in the South West is “cracking jokes” and in good spirits, despite spending four traumatic nights burying herself in sand to keep warm in freezing cold temperatures.

Anna Johnson spent her 42nd wedding anniversary alone in her Fiona Stanley Hospital bed on Thursday, just one day after being found wet, dirty and “hunkered down” in a bush near Quindanning, 70km north east of Collie.

Masks see tourists stay home

The South West region was uncharacteristically quiet at the weekend for the start of the school holiday break as would-be travellers elected to stay away amid lingering mask restrictions.

Tourism hotspots such as Bunbury, Margaret River, Dunsborough and Busselton — which would normally be bustling on the first weekend of holidays — were almost deserted, as mask laws and inclement weather combined to keep travellers away.

Piparo stays a Scorcher

Bunbury product Chloe Piparo has signed a two-year contract extension at the Perth Scorchers, which will see her remain a WBBL player at the club until the end of the 2022-23 season.

The 26-year-old batter is one of three re-signings announced by the WACA last week as it revealed its squad for WBBL07.

This and more in today’s Bunbury Herald.