Police rescue team phones in local farmer, who saves elderly man and dog

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

The lost 87-year-old 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.

Search and Rescue teams were swung into action, and police "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," they said.

But, they were worried the response would not reach the lost 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.

Murray agreed to help. And "after 35 minutes on the phone, the lost man 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."