Man crushed to death by tractor

A 53-year-old orchardist has been killed in an accident at his rural Te Puke property.

Senior Sergeant Glenn Saunders of Tauranga police said the man appeared to have been spraying gorse on the side of a hill when the tractor he was driving rolled, crushing him and killing him instantly.

The deceased, who lived alone, was last seen alive on Tuesday morning and it was believed the accident happened sometime that day.

Occupational Safety and Health representatives from the Labour Department were investigating and had been to the scene.

Police had referred the matter to the coroner.

- NZPA