Picture: Red-faced officer makes splash at rally

The police car goes off the road... and down the bank.

The driver of a police car was left red-faced and slightly bruised after making what Targa Rally organisers called an "unauthorised entry" into stage 18 of the event yesterday.

The road between Turakina and Mount Curl northeast of Marton had been closed and cleared, but spectators were surprised to see a patrol car appear on a notoriously tight corner before crashing through a fence and into a stream.

Unfortunately for the officer, the accident was witnessed by nearly 100 people at a hospitality tent nearby.

A rally spokesman said the officer was a local and wasn't supposed to be on the road at the time.

"He should have known the road ... he lost control before putting it into the creek and giving himself one hell of a fright," he said.

A swag of photographers had also set up camp next to the site, apparently aware the corner had a reputation for being challenging.

- NZPA