A critically injured man has had a lucky escape after spending 12 hours trapped in his car in cold conditions. He was flown to Hawke's Bay Hospital.
St John paramedic Shane Clapperton said the man left the road on State Highway 2 just past Morere Hill near Wairoa last night and crashed into a tree.
He was not found until about 7.30 this morning and it took emergency services more than three hours to get him out.
Mr Clapperton says the man has had quite an ordeal and was conscious when found.
