A long-time fruit grower in the Moutere and Motueka area says the devastating Boxing Day hail storm was the worst he's ever experienced. The storm threw down hail stones that tore through crop protection structures, shattered glasshouses and shredded fruit and vegetable crops. It lay a metre-deep in places, and remained frozen on the ground until the next day. Ian Palmer is a former chair of Pipfruit New Zealand and told our Nelson reporter Tracy Neal that he's lived through hailstorms before, but nothing like this one.