A woman wound up in Thames Hospital when she reacted to a piece of a feta in a salad.
The Whitianga woman in her 40s who is allergic to cheese was at a dinner party at a friend's house when she had a reaction to the feta.
But it wasn't until her and her partner were walking home on Waitaia Road in Kuaotunu, near Whitianga about 9pm when it really hit her.
Local man Paul Reilly was driving past when he noticed the two in distress and turned around to help.
"The woman was staggering a bit and I though I would check because I'm a local."