Rescuers had grave concerns for an elderly fisherman stranded on a cold night near a South Island river, until they called in a farmer with local knowledge who found the man in the dark.

The lost man rang emergency services for help about 8.15pm on Thursday, after becoming disoriented following a fishing trip near Lake Tekapo, at the Cass River mouth, police said on Friday.  

Search and Rescue teams swung into action and police said they “remained on the phone with the 87-year-old, encouraging him to keep himself moving to stay warm, and provided reassurance while efforts were under way to locate him”.

However, police were worried the response would not reach the man and his dog in time.

“While [he] was dressed warmly, police were concerned he was not equipped to spend the night outdoors in the cold conditions.”

So, looking for a faster way to get help to him, police made a call to a nearby farm manager, Grant Murray, who knows the area well.

Mr Murray agreed to help, and “after 35 minutes on the phone the fisherman was successfully located by Mr Murray”.

The elderly man and his dog were taken home to warm up and rest.

The rescue showed the value of local knowledge and strong community relationships, police said.

“Canterbury police would like to thank everyone who was involved in the search …  especially … Mr Murray, whose local knowledge proved invaluable in helping bring the search to a successful conclusion.’’