A woman who went missing in Nelson on one of the coldest nights of the year was lucky to be found before hypothermia set in, police say.
The alarm was raised after the 74-year-old woman failed to return to her retirement village on Wednesday after her afternoon walk.
Police, a specialist dog team and Land Search and Rescue Nelson volunteers found the woman several hours later on steep terrain above the retirement village.
Detective Jonathan Evans said there were serious concerns for the woman's wellbeing because of the cold weather and darkness.
She was uninjured but was showing signs of becoming hypothermic.
Evans said the woman was carried out of the steep gully on a stretcher and taken to hospital.
She has since been discharged.
"The combined effort of police staff, Land Search and Rescue volunteers and Hato Hone St John meant she was quickly located, safely recovered from challenging terrain and provided with the medical attention she needed," he said.
"We are incredibly grateful for the support provided by our partner agencies. Their professionalism, expertise, commitment and readiness to respond played a significant role in ensuring the woman's safety and ultimately saving her life."
This story was first published on rnz.co.nz
