Man on the run frightens Wellington hotel manager

Police walked the man out of the building. File photo

A Wellington hotel manager got a fright when a local man ran into her hotel trying to escape police.

Dean Kahukiwa ran into Hutt Park Hotel on Randwick Rd in Lower Hutt this afternoon.

Hotel manager Awhina Pirihi was out in the back part of the building in the smoking room when she heard a big bang inside.

"I came back in and the guy was by the stairs rubbing his knee."

The man had whacked his left knee on the door jamb as he was running into the foyer.

"I asked him who he was running away from, he said it was police," she said.

Kahukiwa was involved in the Mongrel Mob and Ms Pirihi had previously kicked him out two months ago.

"He had his mongrel patch on in the pokie room and I told him to leave," she said.

Police later walked him out of the building where he apologised to Ms Pirihi.

A police spokeswoman said authorities were "actively looking" for Kahukiwa.

The man was now in custody.