Snarl-ups after bus crash, breakdown

HAY RIDE: A truck unit carrying hay bales stalled on the northbound lane of State Highway 1 near Brynderwyn. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A van full of high school students crashed on the way to the Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival and a truck broke down on the Brynderwyns, causing traffic snarl-ups on two parts of State Highway One through Northland.

The driver of a truck which broke down on the steepest part of the Brynderwyns had to direct traffic past the road blockage until police arrived to take over the task.

The northbound truck and trailer unit laden with hay bales came to a grinding halt on the southern side of the hill around 3.40pm yesterday, just as weekend traffic was beginning to build up on that stretch of SH1.

Earlier in the afternoon a van full of high school students heading to Paihia to perform at this weekend's jazz festival crashed on SH1 just south of Kawakawa.

Up to 10 members of the Pakuranga College Jazz Band were in the van when it veered off SH1 and crashed into a ditch about 2.30pm.

Four ambulances responded but none of the students suffered more than scratches and bruises.

Kawakawa fire chief Wayne Martin said the impact was enough to tear the side door from the van. Firefighters spent more than two hours at the scene directing traffic and helping remove the van from the ditch.

It was one of two vans taking musicians from the east Auckland school to this weekend's Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival.

Once alternative transport had been arranged for them, Mr Martin said the teachers' plan was to get the students to their accommodation, feed them, and get them playing some music to hopefully take their minds off the crash.

The students were scheduled to play in Russell today from noon outside the Trader's Mall, at 2pm in the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, and at 7pm at the Duke of Marlborough Tavern.

The crash was being investigated.