Lower Hutt woman Kerry Scott recounts her night alone in Eastbourne’s bush.
A Lower Hutt woman who spent a night in the bush knew she was in trouble when her torch ran out.
Kerry Scott, 55, was reported missing from her Eastbourne home last night after she left for a walk about 9pm and didn't return.
A police search for Scott was due to resume this morning, but was called off when she arrived back home at 7.30am, a little bruised and battered but otherwise well.
"I've done a bit of walking in the last few months or so but I haven't completed that Days Bay track," Scott said this morning.
"I was a bit surprised how long it was. I also expected it to be lighter."
"It was very quiet in the bush, I was quite surprised by that. I could hear a few birds but that was it."
The walk back in the morning was long, and Scott was "stiff and sore".
She arrived home to find her husband, John Roseveare, dozing.
"I had half, in my mind, 'could I just slip in and he wouldn't notice?'"
Roseveare said even this morning members of the public had been out on the shore searching for a sign of Scott, who had said the night before she was planning to go for a swim during her walk.
Members of the public were out at first light searching the waters at Days Bay for a sign of Scott. Photo/Georgina Campbell
"These aren't people we know personally but we live in a neighbourhood where people look out for each other, it's great that that's the case," he said.
Roseveare reported Scott missing about half past midnight.
"As time went by and it got later and later and there was no sign of Kerry, I became a bit concerned as to what might have happened to her.
"Around half past 12 I decided I needed to call the police and take some advice as to whether there was anything that should be happening to try and locate Kerry to make sure she was well.
"I guess I had seen a few too many TV programmes and thought you've got to be missing for 24 hours before they take it seriously, but I had deliberately left it beyond the point where there seemed any rational explanation."
Police immediately took the matter seriously when Roseveare reported his wife missing, he said.
When Scott arrived home she was "a little unkempt".
"Her hair wasn't quite salon-style and she's got a few cuts and bruises. She looked remarkably well."
Roseveare said wanted to ask "why on earth did you do that?" but his overwhelming feeling was relief.
"I was very pleased to see her and very keen to find out what had been going on and how she was and whether she was physically okay, whether she needed something to drink, something to eat."
Roseveare wanted to thank police and "everyone who chipped in" to find Scott.
