Shelley Crooks has been found alive on the West Coast. Photo / Supplied
A mother of four missing since before Christmas has been found alive.
Sergeant Michel Bloom of Greymouth Police said a member of the public recognised Shelley Crooks while out on a track in Punakaiki, West Coast and called emergency services at about 7pm.
Police are yet to speak with Crooks.
She is now safe in hospital receiving medical treatment, Bloom said.
Crooks has been missing since December 22 and was last seen in Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island.
The last people to see Shelley Crooks before she went missing on the West Coast say the fact she's been found is a fantastic outcome.
She stayed one night in a cabin at the Punakaiki Beach Camp the night before she went missing.
Manager Craig Findlay said members of his family met Crooks and had the impression she was a capable woman.
They thought she could look after herself both in the bush and on the street.
Findlay said Crooks seemed very wise as to what she was doing.
The weather was atrocious while Crooks was missing so it would have been horrendous in the bush, Findlay said.
Camp staff were elated last night when they heard she was found because they had grave concerns for her, given the length of time she was missing for.
Crooks told a friend she was going to hitchhike to Opotiki in the North Island.
She had not used her Eftpos card since she stayed at the Punakaiki campground on December 22.
She was apparently heading to Opotiki to spend Christmas with her children but failed to arrive.
Her father, John Crooks, previously said Shelley has 5-year-old twins and a son and daughter aged 11 and 12 who are in the care of other family members.
He admitted that his daughter is a bit unusual and always loved going bush.
He said her disappearance wasn't the first time he's gone a long time without speaking to her, including a period of eight months.
Police officers are actively searching for the escapee.