Two people and two dogs have been winched to safety in North Canterbury after becoming stuck due to rising river levels.
A search was launched for the group after the Rescue Coordination Centre received an alert from a personal locator beacon at 5.30am on Friday.
A spokesperson said the beacon was carried by two people who were overdue from a walk in Lees Valley, north of Oxford.
A helicopter from Garden City Helicopters was sent to investigate.
Simon Duncan from Garden City Helicopters said the two trampers and their dogs were trying to make their way to Pinchgut hut on Thursday night.
They were caught out by the swollen Ashley River and camped the night beside it.
The group was winched to safety at about 10am.
The Pinchgut hut track takes about two and a half hours to complete with a distance of just over 7km.
-By Devon Bolger
