A truck driver got a nasty surprise when a falling tree clipped the front of his truck as he was driving on State Highway 1 just south of Whangarei this morning.
Mainfreight driver Murray Taipari was driving southbound on SH1 about 6.30am when a pine tree came down across the road in front of him, near Portland turnoff.
"I hit the brakes. Lucky it fell early," Mr Taipari said.
The tree took out the right indicator and part of the truck's front bumper.
SH1 was closed until 7.15am as firefighters used chainsaws and a crane to remove the tree.