Schoolgirl's fall down bank goes unnoticed

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The 11-year-old girl who fell down a bank without anyone noticing yesterday is being comforted by family in Hawke's Bay Hospital this morning.

She is reported to be in a serious but stable condition.

The girl spent two hours alone and injured yesterday afternoon after nobody noticed she had fallen down a bank while hiking with classmates near Te Reinga.

She wasn't noticed as missing until the group returned to Wairoa, about 35 kilometres away.

She was eventually located thanks to a search and rescue operation.

Wairoa Police Sergeant Aubrey Ormond said the girl had been with a group of about 25 schoolchildren on a hike when she lost her footing and fell down the bank at about 2.30pm.

She injured her leg in the fall.

Police staff and people from the Te Reinga area began looking for the girl and the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter was able to land near her and she was flown to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings.

Mr Ormond said the girl had been waiting for about two hours and was awake and speaking when rescuers found her.