Police arrest wanted woman after rescue from Mahurangi River mud

The woman had reportedly been collecting shells when she ran into problems. Photo / 123RF

An Auckland woman wanted by police was arrested this afternoon after getting stuck in mud in a riverbank.

A bystander called emergency services after spotting the woman's plight on the banks of Auckland's Mahurangi River.

Senior Sergeant Roger Small, Waitematā north rural police manager, said the woman had apparently gone to collect shells along the river's edge, by Lucy Moore Park, when she got into grief.

Warkworth Volunteer fire brigade chief fire officer Devan Flewellyn said firefighters were called to rescue the trapped woman around 1.15pm on Thursday.

"When we got there, the tide was out and she was up to her thighs, nearly her waist, in mud," he said.

"But she managed to get out of her own accord. She was caked in mud, you know like those baths in Rotorua, it looked like that.

"We had to get the hose out and gave her a bit of shower. So we gave her a hose down and a blanket to keep warm."

Police then took over and found the man accompanying the soaked woman had existing warrants to arrest, Small said.

"It was then established that the woman also had a warrant to arrest," he said.

The pair were taken to the Henderson Police Station and will appear in court tomorrow.