Hostage escapes from gunman

The Tauranga armed offenders squad was called when a man was abducted near Papamoa yesterday.

A lone gunman apparently forced the victim into a car at a service station but the hostage escaped soon after and the armed man sped off.

Details were scarce last night but Western Bay of Plenty police area commander Inspector Murray Lewis confirmed there was an attempted kidnapping involving a firearm.

He was unsure whether it was part of an attempt to rob the service station.