Nelson police hunt man after hostage incident

A man police believe could be dangerous is on the run after allegedly using a knife to hold a 28-year-old woman hostage for nearly three hours in a domestic incident in Nelson.

Detective Senior Sergeant Wayne McCoy said the alleged offender began holding the woman against her will at a Murphy St house about 10am yesterday, and she managed to call for help about 12.30pm.

"There was an altercation between them for sometime at the house and she was not free to leave until 1pm," Mr McCoy said.

The 29-year-old suspect had fled by the time the police armed offenders squad arrived. The woman was not hurt.

Parts of Murphy St were cordoned off for more than an hour during the incident.

Mr McCoy said he did not know if the man was still in Nelson but said he was known to have associates in Christchurch.

- nzpa