Wainuiomata search: Teenage girl and dog found

The 15-year-old is missing in bush in the Wainuiomata hills

The teenager reported missing in the Wainuiomata hills has been found safe and well.

The 15-year-old girl and her dog were found by search and rescue teams at about 8.30pm tonight.

A police spokeswoman said about 9.15pm that the teenager and her dog were still in the bush and that rescue teams were still working to get her out safely.

She was found in "difficult terrain.''

Police said: "She is cold but otherwise in good health.''

There had been concerns for her safety with temperatures in the area expected to drop as low as 3C tonight.

A weather report issued just before 5pm this evening predicted cloudy periods. Southerlies are expected to ease overnight.

The dog that the girl was with.

The girl had last been heard from at about 2pm when she called on her cell phone to say she was lost. She was in bush between Wainuiomata and Eastbourne.

Land SAR volunteers and Police searched the area with a police dog while the Westpac Rescue Helicopter searched the area from above.