Elderly woman with dementia missing for more than four hours found in Whangārei

Riripeti (Betty) Hayward, 74, was last seen around midday walking away from The Warehouse in the Okara Park shopping complex. Photo / supplied

An elderly Northland woman with dementia missing for more than four hours today has been located by police more than 2km from where she was last seen.

The last sightings of Riripeti Hayward, 74, who responds to the name "Betty", were in the Okara Park shopping centre where she was seen walking away from The Warehouse around midday.

But a police spokesman said Hayward had been found safe and well on Maunu Rd late this afternoon.

Her family and police were extremely worried during their search for Hayward as she has dementia.

Police had released a description of her as part of a public appeal to urgently find the 74-year-old.