The drivers and occupants of hundreds of vehicles queued for up to three hours to load their vehicles and trailers with cut-price radiata pine firewood at a Wenita Forest Products fundraising event at Mt Allan yesterday.
However, for a few the loads ended up being expensive as Dunedin police issued some drivers tickets for using unwarranted and unlicensed trailers and gave others with recently expired paperwork a chance to get it sorted.
Officer in charge of the strategic traffic unit Sgt Tania Baron said police received calls from people concerned about unsafe vehicles travelling to and from Mt Allan, and a minor single vehicle incident about 9.30am on Mt Allan Rd, possibly due to brake problems.
A checkpoint was set up at the base of Mt Allan Rd and more than 50 vehicles inspected for overloading and safety.
Thirteen infringement notices were issued, with fines of $200 for unwarranted trailers and $100 for unlicensed trailers.
''It's a bit disappointing. The worst I saw was a trailer with a warrant which ran out in 2009,'' Sgt Baron said.
Wenita Commercial manager Anne Horsewood said about $5000 was raised for the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter service, with the last vehicle loaded up about 4.30pm.
''People have donated extra for the cause and because they're thankful to be able to get firewood. We're chuffed at the support.''
The day would not have been possible without Wenita staff and contractors giving up their time to chop the wood, which was waste product from its processing plant, and helping on the day, she said.
Wenita would try to run the event on an annual basis, she said.
Otago Helicopters managing director Graeme Gale said it was an ''unbelievable'' response with vehicles continuously arriving to fill up after the gates opened at 8am.
''The support's fantastic.''
