A woman aged in her 90s was taken by ambulance to Dunedin Hospital in a serious condition after falling down a bank at her St Leonards home.
It is understood the woman might have been there overnight, clinging to scrub, had suffered a broken nose and had hypothermia.
Ravensbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Ross Bryant said firefighters were called to Gannet Lane by St John staff about 3.30pm on Saturday, to help lift the woman up a bank at the side of her driveway.
"She was fairly well banged up,'' Mr Bryant said.
"It appears she's fallen over about a one-metre bank.''
He was unable to confirm what injuries the woman suffered.
