Car crashes down bank, one dead

One person is dead after a car apparently crashed down a bank and burst into flames by a cemetery on State Highway 1 north of Porirua in the early hours of the morning.

A spokesman for police central communications said emergency services were called to the scene near Whenuatapu Cemetery at 2.20am.

Onlookers had seen flames coming from down a bank near the intersection of State Highway 1 and Airlie Rd near Pukerua Bay.

The road was not fully cleared until 7am and southbound commuters suffered extensive traffic delays.

- NZPA