A driver has walked away from a spectacular crash where their car flew through the air before becoming lodged in a school bus.
The incident, in the coastal settlement of Mangawhai north of Auckland, happened early on Monday morning.
Photos of the crash were shared online, with some likening it to a scene from the classic 70s show The Dukes of Hazzard.
A woman who had been working nearby said that she understood that the car had travelled through the air a considerable distance before hitting the ground and then bouncing back up into the school bus, which parks at the spot when it is not transporting local children.
She said the incident was the talk of the town, with those first on the scene finding that the driver had miraculously walked away.
Police confirmed to the Herald that the driver had been found and there were no serious injuries to report.
Locals reported on Facebook that they had heard the car "screaming" along the road before the crash.
A spokesperson from Warkworth Taxi and Bus Services, which runs the bus service, told 1News the crash happened at around 5.30 in the morning.
The car was travelling down Mangawhai Heads Rd, toward the intersection with Cove Rd and appeared to have lost control approaching the bend.
Photos from the scene show that the car hit the bus with enough force to emerge out the other side.
Residents in the Far North pay up to $5000 in rates but get few services.