Killer to NZ teacher - 'Have a nice day'

A former Auckland teacher survived being shot in the face during British taxi driver Derrick Bird's murderous rampage that killed 12 people and injured 11 before he turned the gun on himself.

British-born Samantha Chrystie - who ended a period teaching biology at Avondale College early this year and was previously at Papakura High School - was with her Kiwi boyfriend, Craig Ross, and taking a photograph on a quiet country lane near Boot in the Lakes District when Bird drew up alongside their car last Tuesday.

"Have a nice day," the 52-year-old grandfather said before pulling the trigger.

Fisherground Campsite owner Mick Parkin told the Daily Mail: "It was just like something out of The Terminator."

Bird had already shot dead a dozen people, starting with his twin brother David.

Ms Chrystie, aged in her late 20s, was on holiday with Mr Ross during British schools' mid-term break.

The couple had recently moved to the United Kingdom, said friend and former colleague Cynthia Orr.

Shot at point-blank range, Ms Chrystie was lucky to survive.

"Craig said it was only the fact that Samantha was holding a camera that saved her life," Mr Parkin said.

A panicked Mr Ross drove Ms Chrystie to the nearby Brook House Inn.

Landlady Christine Thornley told the Daily Mail: "I really thought she was going to bleed to death in our lobby. My son was trying his best to deal with the flow of blood but she had been shot through the mouth and she seemed to be losing an awful lot."

Mrs Thornley's daughter, Sarah Thornley-Ellis, last night told the Herald that her brother Gareth Thornley said he "would never get her eyes out of his head ... the fear".

Forty-five minutes later, a police officer arrived to take Ms Chrystie to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, about an hour and a half down the road.

"We later found out that she had lost some teeth, had a cut on her face and had undergone surgery to remove pellets from her mouth," Mrs Thornley said.

Ms Orr, who lives in Onehunga, Auckland, was relieved to hear her friend's voice on Friday. She had called Mr Ross's cellphone, expecting to leave a message, but he answered and put Ms Chrystie on.

"I said, 'Love you heaps', and she said, 'Thanks'," Ms Orr told the Herald.

"I said, 'You're famous here', and she said, 'I don't want to be'."