Police wait for blood test results

Cromwell police are awaiting the results of a blood-alcohol test after a cyclist was hit by a car on the corner of Barry Ave and Inniscort St last week.

Sergeant Steve Watt said the cyclist was recovering from injuries as a result of the January 27 incident, after initially being taken by ambulance to Dunedin Hospital.

Police tested the driver of the vehicle for alcohol at the scene, and were awaiting results before considering whether to lay charges, Sgt Watt said.

There had also been a substantial increase in bicycle thefts and wilful damage around the town in past weeks, he said.

Motels in Mead and Barry Aves were damaged on January 25, the spoiler of a vehicle was broken off on January 29, and yesterday an 83-year-old resident's letterbox was destroyed for the third time.

On Friday, a bicycle was stolen from a Linrosa Pl address, while another was taken from outside a shop in the Cromwell Mall.

Neither had been recovered.

The Cromwell Volunteer Fire Brigade was called out to two small fires just before midnight on Saturday.

Chief fire officer Steve Shaw said people at a residential address on Jollys Rd were burning wood and rubbish in a drum.

Firefighters extinguished the fire without difficulty, he said.

They were also called to extinguish two bonfires people had started on land off Cairnmuir Rd at Bannockburn.

Mr Shaw said as there was a total fire ban in Central Otago, the bonfires had to be put out.