Emergency services and wreckage recovery workers spent much of yesterday at the scene of a fatal accident involving a milk tanker on State Highway 1, about 20km north of Oamaru.
The male driver of the north-bound Dynes Transport (Tapanui) double tanker died after his truck careered off a straight stretch of road at the entrance to the Riverstone Kitchen restaurant about 4.20am.
The tanker crashed through more than 10m of trees before coming to rest.
Nearly 60m of tyre marks were visible on the access road along Glenavy-Hilderthorpe Rd.
About 5pm police temporarily closed the highway, putting a detour in place, as a 100-tonne crane lifted the trailer tanker and the remains of the truck from the trees.