Missing man spotted shopping in Northland

A man who disappeared in Waipoua Forest more than two months ago has reportedly been seen alive and stocking up at a west coast supermarket.
Troy Liddington, aged 37 and with four children, left a house near Waipoua visitor's centre on October 1, saying he was going for a walk.
The alarm was raised when the Hawke's Bay man had not returned two days later.
Although he is known to have strong survival skills, he carried no food and little clothing. The only equipment he took was a cigarette lighter.
His disappearance sparked a search and rescue operation by 30 police staff and volunteers, and his distraught mother appealed for help via the Advocate.
The mystery deepened a week later when clothing similar to that Mr Liddington was last seen in was found placed neatly on a riverbank in an area which had been searched several times.
Since then there have been unconfirmed sightings of Mr Liddington out of the bush and stocking up at a west coast supermarket.
Far North Search and Rescue adviser Roger Ladd, of Kerikeri, said the information was second-hand but had come from two credible sources.
He did not know which supermarket Mr Liddington had been seen at, but it was most likely Opononi.
Mr Ladd said Far North Search and Rescue was disappointed with the outcome, given the amount of volunteer time that had gone into looking for him.
"A lot of volunteers took time off work to look for him, which is a hard thing to do in this day and age. To then find out he was in no immediate danger is very disappointing."
Mr Ladd said the organisation took its job of saving lives seriously.
A police spokeswoman said the search for Mr Liddington had been suspended but could be resumed if more evidence was found.
"But if he's still in the bush and still alive, that indicates he's happy in there and doesn't want to be found," she said.
The missing man's mother, Huti Liddington of Hastings, said she had heard nothing about the sightings.
She also said he had no money or ATM card with him when he disappeared.
She believed he was still alive because he knew how to survive in the bush - but would be convinced only when she heard his voice on the phone.
In the past he had spent months at a time in the bush, living on what he could catch. That was why no one raised the alarm until two days later, she said.