Tent death at Tokerau Beach 'horrifically unfortunate accident'

The accident occurred at a propery on Virtue Cres in Tokerau Beach. Photo / Google Earth

Police have described a New Year's tragedy in which a woman died after a car rolled onto her tent as a ''horrifically unfortunate accident''.

Emergency services were called to Tokerau Beach, on the Far North's Karikari Peninsula, about 7.40am after people staying at a Virtue Cres property discovered a four-wheel-drive parked at the top of a small rise had rolled downhill overnight.

The vehicle had hit a tent, killing the woman sleeping inside, and then a fence.

The accident occurred sometime after 2am when the people at the property had gone to bed.

Police say the victim was a 43-year-old woman from Whangārei who was visiting the property owners for the New Year holiday. They have yet to release her name.

Senior Sergeant Ian Row, of Northland police, said it was a ''very, very horrifically unfortunate accident''.

''I don't usually use the word accident but this one was. For some reason the handbrake seems to have failed. The vehicle has then rolled downhill and struck a tent.''

The vehicle had been examined to determine whether the handbrake had a mechanical fault.

The police investigation was complete and it was now a matter for the Coroner, Row said.