Electric short causes parked van to start, roll and mount a kerb

Three Polish tourists are in shock after their rental van started itself, mounted the kerb and rolled onto a Rotorua footpath.

Peter Korszak, Tomasz Kalinowski and Slawomir Ostapczuk are travelling around New Zealand on an eight-day holiday.

Mr Ostapczuk said they returned to their backpackers Cactus Jacks on Haupapa St last night, parking on the street.

They put the handbrake on and the van into first gear before turning off the engine.

The tourists were woken by emergency services this morning, and Mr Ostapczuk said a fireman told him the car would have "jumped like a frog" over the kerb.

"New Zealand is a strange country, cars drive by themselves," Mr Ostapczuk said.

A Rotorua Fire Station spokesman said the car and the building were not damaged.

"The van was parked and unattended. An electrical short caused the battery terminal to come into contact with the battery cone.

"This caused the van to move forward and roll."

Mr Ostapczuk said they would be contacting the rental company and their insurance company to change the van.

When contacted by the Rotorua Daily Post the Happy Campers company was unable to comment.

Today the trio planned to head out to Waiotapu and the Buried Village, once they got their car sorted.

Police and power company Unison also attended the scene.