North Canterbury man dies in accidental shooting

Mark Daley. Photo / DGS Accounting

A tragic accident has claimed the life of a North Canterbury rural accountant.

Stuff is reporting 61-year-old Mark Daly tripped over a small fence and accidentally shot himself at his home in Motunau.

Police were called to the property in the Hurunui District on Sunday afternoon.

Daly was a co-director at DGS Rural Accounting and Business Specialists in Greta Valley.

Fellow co-director James Girdlestone remembers him as a great mate and a great mentor.

He said Daly retrained as an accountant after suffering a back injury on his family farm.

Girdlestone said Daly was immensely respected in rural North Canterbury for his business and accounting expertise - and it is a sad loss for the firm and for the community.

The keen hunter, who was married with two daughters, will be farewelled in Christchurch on Monday.

Police are investigating on behalf of the coroner, they are not seeking anyone else in relation to the death.