A 10-year-old boy completed a remarkable 21km trek to safety yesterday, after getting separated from family members during a pig-hunting expedition in Southland.
The boy became separated from two adult family members in hill country near Lumsden about 11.30 yesterday morning.
After the pair failed to locate the boy, police were contacted and a search was organised.
Invercargill Senior Sergeant Dave Raynes said the boy was told by his father to wait on a ridge while the father was hunting, but "didn't do what he was told" and walked out of the area.
He walked "in a big circle" before turning up at a dairy farm about 3km from Lumsden.
"He walked a half-marathon," Snr Sgt Raynes said, and had done so in warm conditions.
The boy walked 21.8km, and apart from complaining of sore feet was uninjured.
He was well clothed and had food with him and a water bottle which he replenished in creeks along the way.
Snr Sgt Raynes said no names could be released last night, but he expected the matter to be "a human interest story" today.
"Although the message is that people should remain where they are if they become lost, the boy showed remarkable resilience for someone of his age," police said.
