An elderly man pulled under a tractor wheel today in the central North Island is in hospital with serious injuries.
The 81-year-old man was flown to Waikato Hospital after the accident on a Waihi farm, 63km northwest of Tauranga, about midday, TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter spokesman Andrew Harrison said.
He had been standing beside his tractor when he reached in to start it. It had been left in gear, but couldn't go forward as its loading bucket was on the ground.
The rear wheels began to spin and one of them caught the man, pulling him right under the wheel and out the other side.
He suffered severe injuries to his chest and head, but managed to ride a quad bike back to the farm house for help, Mr Harrison said.
The man is believed to be in a serious condition in hospital.
