Collision puts woman in hospital

A woman in her 40s, is in a stable condition in hospital after her car rolled into a ditch following a crash with a sport utility vehicle (SUV) towing a boat.

Constable Andy Clinton said the woman's car hit the SUV in Crosses Rd, Havelock North, about 6.30pm yesterday.

The male driver and female passenger of the SUV, a husband and wife, had been waiting to turn right into the driveway of an address where they kept their boat. he woman's car clipped their vehicle and rolled into a ditch.

Mr Clinton said the car rolled at least once and came to rest in the ditch. It had taken firefighters about 10 minutes to remove the car's driver's door and extract the woman.

A bystander told Hawke's Bay Today an orthopaedic surgeon who happened to be passing by had stopped to help at the scene.

The Fire Service had to secure the woman's neck before they moved her and she was conscious at the time.

Police were unsure if speed or alcohol were factors in the crash, but inquiries were continuing.