Missing man found - staying with relatives

A 52-year-old missing West Coast man for whom police held grave fears has been found safe and well - staying with relatives.

David Kenneth Davies, 52, drove off from his Kumara home in his white Nissan ute registration CYL893 on Thursday night.

Police said that Mr Davies was a diabetic who was reliant on insulin injections four times a day. He did not have his medication with him and was in poor general health.

An aerial search of four wheel drive tracks around the Kumara area on Friday failed to find any trace of him and the search was intensified when his abandoned ute was found at Murchison on Friday night.

However, a short time later he turned up at the home of relatives in Motueka who were caring for him.

- NZPA