Rural Community Constable, Selena Blayney:

A missing Wellington man made a ‘help’ sign out of toilet paper to help searchers find him.

Search and Rescue has located a 55-year-old Wellington man who was overdue on a tramp in the Mt Holdsworth area of the Tararua Forest Park.

He had embarked on a five-day tramp on 28 September, which included parts of the main Tararua range and several alpine huts.

Concerned family contacted Police when he did not make contact as planned on 6 October as weather conditions worsened.

Police and Search and Rescue volunteers began searching for the man on 7 October and located him safe and well at Mid-Waiohine hut.

He did not have a rescue beacon and had only completed a short portion of his intended route before finding the conditions beyond his experience.

He spent several nights at Mid-Waiohine Hut and made a ‘help’ sign out of toilet paper which helped a rescue helicopter locate him.

He ran out of paper before he was able to finish the sign.

The man has been flown out by helicopter and reunited with friends and family.

Police would like to thank the LandSAR volunteers who assisted with the search.

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