A couple were rescued on Wednesday night in freezing conditions from a mountain near Lake Brunner on the West Coast after becoming lost during a day walk.
The pair decided to walk up Mount Te Kinga on Wednesday morning but lost the track on their way back down from the summit.
They called the police at 7.30pm and Hokitika Landsar volunteers located the couple a few hours later at about 11pm and walked them down.
Search coordinator, Constable Rhys Martin, said they were very cold as they were only dressed for a day walk, with no gear for a night out in the open.
He said it's a good reminder to people that they need to ensure they are prepared for all eventualities when heading into the outdoors, regardless of the weather.
