Body discovered in Rotorua mountain bike park

Police cars near the scene where a body was discovered. Photo: Ryan Gray via NZME.
Police cars near the scene where a body was discovered. Photo: Ryan Gray via NZME.

A body has been discovered in a mountain bike park this morning.

A police communications spokeswoman told the Rotorua Daily Post that someone had been discovered "deceased" near Nursery Rd in the mountain bike park off one of the trails.

She said police received a call about 10am today alerting them to the body.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said one crew attended a medical event in the forest.

Mountain biker Ryan Gray who was riding in the area said there were police cars there and police tape was up.

"Not often you see police cars in the forest so it can't be good. Thoughts are with friends and whānau of the person."

Gray said the police had blocked off the Te Huinga trail which leads there.

Luka Ellis came for a mountain bike ride today to get out of the house and said the Te Huinga Mini Downhill track was taped off so he turned around and came back.

Ellis said saw the tape at the top end of the track, which loops on to Nursery Rd, and there was a police officer at the bottom end of the track.

A group of people running said they saw police cars at the bottom of the track on Nursery Rd.

A reporter at the scene said a fire truck was seen driving up the gravel of Nursery Rd.

Mountain biker Garth Weinberg said the Mini Downhill track was well maintained and well used but there were "a few surprises".

Mountain Bike Rotorua owner Tak Mutu said they, like everyone else, were waiting to hear what police said had happened.

"Something unfortunate has happened in the forest, whether it was an accident or not, only time will tell."

Mutu said the trail was a standard trail built in the past few years.

He sent his deepest condolences to the family.