Woman hit by car, kidnapped - police

A 23- year-old woman escaped from a car in a "desolate" area on the outskirts of Invercargill after allegedly being hit by a car and then kidnapped by the driver on Sunday night.

Detective Sergeant Mark McLoy, of Invercargill, said the woman was walking in Lindisfarne St about 11pm, when a red Toyota Corolla car went out of control and hit her.

She received head and leg injuries.

The male driver allegedly then kidnapped the woman.

The man then drove to the vicinity of Hall Rd, on the outskirts of Invercargill, about 10 minutes from the city centre, Det Sgt McLoy said.

"Further offending" then occurred, he said.

It did not appear, at this stage, the offending was of a sexual nature.

The woman managed to escape and make her way back to Invercargill.

The red car was seen again in Invercargill about 12.20am.

Police were yesterday conducting scene examinations and a section of Lindisfarne St was cordoned off.

A 27-year-old man appeared in the Invercargill District Court yesterday morning charged with kidnapping, assaulting a female and demanding a wallet with menace.

He was remanded in custody until September 25.