Fiancee pleads for people to look twice after Tauranga partner's serious crash

Victoria Bishop and Lochlan Holdaway with their 1-year-old son Ti. Photo / Supplied

"He has a young family at home waiting for him."

These are the words of Victoria Bishop, whose fiancee was seriously injured in a motorbike accident on Thursday night.

She is hoping their story will warn motorists to take care around riders.

Victoria Bishop was at home feeding her 1-year-old son when she got the call that her partner had been in a bad accident on Newton St in Mount Maunganui.

Her fiancee Holdaway had been riding down the road when a van that "thought it had time" crossed the lane to pull into a shop car park.

Bishop said Holdaway's head went straight through the window of the van, leaving him "battered and bruised".

She said he had a broken wrist, stitches and a concussion and was only discharged from Tauranga Hospital shortly before 3am on Friday morning.

"We were so close to losing him," Bishop said, emotionally.

Through the rush of it all, Bishop and Holdaway's young son Ti had to endure the entire thing and "just wanted to cuddle his dad".

Bishop said people needed to take care and double-check their mirrors and rear view before pulling out.

"I understand motorbikes are small and fast, but all it takes is a thorough check."

She said Holdaway was still in a bit of pain and spent most of Friday sleeping, but he was awake and talking.

However, there was a sentimental piece of jewellery that Holdaway lost in the accident, which Bishop said he loved just as much as he loved her.

A necklace that was once owned by his late mother, who died when Holdaway was just a child, got lost in the crash.

The pair are pleading for its safe return as they said it has no monetary value, but immeasurable sentimental value to Holdaway.

"That's all we've got left of her," said Bishop.

She said the necklace may have been caught in the van, but it was also likely that it could have flown off onto the side of the road.

Anyone with information on the necklace was urged to contact the Tauranga police.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the crash happened at 5.10pm on Newton St and involved a motorbike and a van.

Fire, ambulance and police all attended the incident on Thursday evening.

The sentimental necklace is the shape of a surfboard and with a lightening strike on it. Photo / Supplied