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Police and civilian search and rescue teams are searching for an 83-year-old walker missing overnight in bush near Birchville, north of Upper Hutt.
Ian James Forrester was last seen at 2pm yesterday when he left his Trentham, Upper Hutt, home by car with the intention of going for a walk.
Police said that although Mr Forrester was frail, and had a heart condition, he was a regular walker and often headed out for four hours at a time.
His family became concerned when he failed to return home and reported him missing shortly after 8.30pm.
Sergeant Jo Holden, Wellington police district search and rescue coordinator, said it was not initially known where Mr Forrester had intended to walk.
Just before 10pm police patrols found his red Mazda stationwagon parked in Bridge Road, Birchville.
Two police dogs and handlers, a civilian search dog and handler, and Police search and rescue staff worked throughout the night but so far there had been no sign of Mr Forrester.
They were joined at 8am today by about 20 additional police and civilian volunteer SAR members.
"We're concerned that he may have slipped and fallen off one of the tracks," Ms Holden said
Mr Forrester is described as European, slimly built, and was believed to be wearing green trousers, a fawn shirt and fawn jacket.
- NZPA
