Children die in farm bike crash

Residents of Pohangina Valley in the Manawatu are in shock today after two boys were killed while riding a farm bike metres from their home gate yesterday.

The boys were brothers aged five and seven.

It is understood they were riding the 70cc farm bike when it and a car collided on the Opawe Road at about 6.30pm.

The road runs off the Pohangina Valley East Road toward the Ruahine Range.

Details of the accident on the narrow, gravel, no-exit road are not yet known, but the driver of the car was not injured.

The driver of the vehicle apparently knew the boys.

Both boys went to Awahou School, about 30km northeast of Palmerston North. The five-year-old had only just started.

Awahou School principal Chris Mitchell was devastated by the news.

"What do you do at a time like this?" Mr Mitchell said last night.

He didn't know how he was going to tell his pupils today. The school has a roll of 56.

He said trauma counsellors would be brought in to help children and staff deal with the deaths.

It is understood the boys have another sibling who is also a pupil at the school.

Ashurst police at the scene last night were close to tears as forensic investigators examined the area.

As news filtered through the tight-knit community neighbours were visibly shaken by the incident, many in tears.

Residents would have this week been commemorating the first anniversary of the floods that devastated the area, washing out bridges and cutting off the school.

The Square Trust rescue helicopter was sent to the scene but was not required.

- NZPA