'Suspicious package' found at Air Force base

Cordons are in place at the Royal New Zealand Air Force base in Woodbourne, near Blenheim, after a suspicious package was found.

A New Zealand Defence Force spokesperson said police were called to the base earlier on Thursday, after reports of a suspicious package.

A cordon has been set up near the southern side of the base where some personnel have been evacuated and would remain until the incident was over, the spokesperson said.

The rest of the base remained operational, they said.

Police said they were "responding to an incident in Woodbourne" but would not give any further details.

The cordon has disrupted traffic to the nearby Marlborough Airport, with people needing to access the airport terminal encouraged to do so via Godfreys Rd.