A radio station prank forced surf lifesavers to close three beaches and tell hundreds of people to get out of the water.
A presenter at the 91ZM station apparently phoned lifeguards to say there was sewage in one area and sharks in another, causing them to close thebeaches and phone their busy communications centre.
David Avenell of Surf Lifesaving Northern Region communications said the prank "caused huge hassles" and forced the closure of Whangarei Heads, Ruakaka and Waipu Cove beaches for 10 minutes.
A total of 800 people were at the beaches, including 200 swimmers.
The phone calls were made on Tuesday afternoon, at least one of them by presenter Iain Stables.
91ZM's operations manager, Christian Boston, said he had listened to one broadcast in which Stables phoned Waipu Cove lifeguards "to say there was poos in the water".
"It sounds like a cheeky Stables prank that wasn't meant to be serious," Mr Boston said. "If it closed the beach then we apologise for that. We would never do anything that was meant to hurt anyone."
Stables, 30, has appeared in court at least 34 times. He was charged with impersonating a policeman and misusing a telephone after earlier pranks.
At various times he has been banned from the Stamford Plaza, Sky City, Morrinsville Motel, the Viaduct and Britomart.
Qantas banned him from its planes after he inflated a life-jacket during a flight. It will lift the ban this year.
