Pizza driver bashed after pair flag him down

A pizza delivery man was punched and hit with a piece of wood by two men after he was called to an address in Glen Innes.

The man left Pizza Hut in Taniwha St in Glen Innes on Monday night and arrived in Maybury St about 11pm to see a man waving him down.

He got out of the vehicle with the pizzas and was attacked from behind by another man. The pair punched him and one picked up a piece of wood and hit him with it.

A neighbour drove the man back to Pizza Hut where the police and an ambulance were called.

He was taken to Auckland City Hospital, treated and discharged about 4.30am yesterday.

It was not known last night whether it was the attackers who had called for the pizza.

Pizza Hut operations manager Allan Simons said it was a "cowardly attack".

"[The driver] is now at home where he appears to be recuperating well.

"We are extremely upset that a team member has been hurt and have extended our sympathy and support to them and their family.

"Pizza Hut and the driver are helping the police with their inquiries, and we will wait until those investigations are complete before making any further comments."

Mr Simons said that in an attempt to deter criminals delivery staff carried no more than $20 change.

"The safety of all our employees is paramount to Pizza Hut. We run training so everyone knows what to do in the event of a robbery or attack and have developed procedures to ensure delivery staff are as safe as possible."

But Mike Treen, national director of Unite union, which represents fast food workers, said many delivery workers worked under a system which put them at risk.

"They're paid per delivery - they are treated as self-employed so the entire risk associated with the delivery is on them.

"If they choose not to do a delivery then the cost is on them.

"If they were employees they would have the right to refuse work where they were putting themselves in danger."