Northland news briefs

Mangonui firefighters took two hours to free a man whose legs were crushed by an eight-tonne hay baler at Lake Ohia

Man's threat to boy investigated

Police are investigating after a 9-year-old boy was offered a ride home by a man who yelled that the boy "wouldn't live much longer". Police said the boy was walking along Manse St and Lupton Ave on Saturday about 4.40pm when a man approached him offering him a ride.

The boy declined and continued walking but when he turned back he saw the man holding something in his hand and the man yelled "'you're not going to live much longer", police said. The man continued to follow the boy until a vehicle travelled towards them on Lupton Ave. Police said inquiries were ongoing.

Hay baler crushes man

Mangonui firefighters took two hours to free a man whose legs were crushed by an eight-tonne hay baler at Lake Ohia, near Karikari Peninsula. Emergency services were called at 6pm on Friday after the man was thrown from the tractor he was driving with the baler coming to rest on his lower body.

Fire brigade spokesman Marty Yuretich said reaching the scene, in a paddock 300m up a hill, involved transferring the brigade's cutting and lifting equipment to a four-wheel drive vehicle, then using hydraulic equipment to lift the baler and free the trapped farmer. The patient, who was conscious throughout the ordeal, was then carried to the Northland Rescue Helicopter and flown to Whangarei Hospital.

His condition was not known at edition time yesterday.

Anti-vaccine movie on screen

A controversial movie on the safety of vaccines is being screened in Whangarei next week.
Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe alleges the United States' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention covered up research proving autism is linked to vaccinations.

The director of the film, Andrew Wakefield, is a former British doctor struck off the medical register over an unethical study which linked the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine to autism and bowel disorders. The documentary will screen on Monday, May 8 at 6pm at Event Cinemas Whangarei.

Crash probe continues The police Serious Crash Unit is continuing to investigate an Anzac Day crash on Kapiro Rd, near Kerikeri, which killed a 53-year-old motorcyclist.

The motorcyclist, from the Purerua Peninsula north of Kerikeri, died after his bike and a car turning into a driveway collided. The driver of the car and her 14-year-old passenger were uninjured.

Police are not commenting on the cause of the crash, or whether charges are likely, while the investigation is under way.

Father, son in motorcycle crash

Emergency services, including firefighters from Kaeo and Kerikeri, were called to Whangaroa Rd about 12.30pm yesterday after a young man is thought to have taken a corner too quickly on his motorcycle and crashed. The rider and his father, who was riding pillion, suffered only minor cuts and scrapes.