Man critical after tractor accident

A man pulled under a tractor wheel on a Bay of Plenty farm is in a critical condition, Waikato Hospital staff said today.

The 81-year-old man, who is in the hospital's intensive care unit, received chest and head injuries in the accident, which occurred in Waihi about midday yesterday.

He had been standing beside his tractor when he reached in to start it, but was then caught by a spinning rear wheel and pulled under, a TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter spokesman said.

Despite the injuries, the man rode a quad bike back to the farm house to get help.

- NZPA