Hope fading of finding elderly possum trapper

Strong north-west winds meant a Royal New Zealand Air Force Iroquois could not be used in the search for Alan Hill. File photo / NZ Herald

Hopes are fading of finding alive an elderly possum trapper who has spent four nights in bitterly cold weather in remote north Canterbury bush.

A major search operation is continuing today for Alan Hill, 83, who has not been seen since he went into the Ashley Gorge area, north west of Christchurch, on Wednesday morning.

About 30 Land Search and Rescue volunteers were scouring the steep, rugged terrain on foot today as a strong north-west winds meant a Royal New Zealand Air Force Iroquois could not be used, search coordinator Sergeant Tony Tully said.

"It's howling with wind, we've had sleet, there's a light dusting of snow on the tops. It's certainly a very good test of people's fitness and equipment."

Mr Hill was not equipped to spend a night out in the bush.

"It's been four nights now and very cold, very wet, very miserable." The team was concentrating on the area where Mr Hill set his last trap but had found nothing of relevance since his gloves were found on Thursday.

It took the team about two hours to drive to the area each day which was limiting the amount of time they could spend searching, Mr Tully said.

The search would continue until nightfall.