Tourists showered in glass during attack on car

Felizia Graye and Shenandoah Forest say the horror attack left them completely 'freaked out'. Photo / Supplied

An American couple holidaying on the Coromandel Peninsula froze in their seats as a man smashed the windows of their van with a crowbar after an argument they had with him on a beach.

Felizia Graye and her partner, Shenandoah Forest, who are visiting from Hawaii, say the horror attack on Monday left them covered in shattered glass and completely "freaked out".

Ms Graye said the drama unfolded after children on a quad bike began circling where they were sitting at Kennedy Bay, about 15km northeast of Coromandel. As the bike got closer they waved at them to stop, and after she threatened to call police the children went away. But a short time later "a very upset man" arrived.

"He appeared to be really angry about us talking to the kids and started screaming at us and said 'they are just having fun'."

Ms Graye said the pair left the beach and began driving north towards Tuateawa, and stopped on the side of the road. It was when they looked in the rear-vision and saw the man walking towards them with what appeared to be a metal pipe that they realised they had been followed.

"He kept screaming and screaming, he was just in this rage and he started bashing up all the windows. I kept telling Shenandoah to try and start the van up. By the time he got the van started there was glass all over us."

Their van had all its windows smashed, several panels dented, and the rear view mirrors knocked off.

Some Iranian tourists stopped and helped escort them back to Coromandel where they spoke to police.

Senior Sergeant Graham Shields said Thames police received a tip-off, and a 37-year-old man from Ohope will appear in court in Thames next month charged with criminal damage. Mr Shields said alcohol appeared to have been an aggravating factor.

Ms Graye said they were left with a $5000 repair bill to their van, but a Thames glass shop offered free labour and glass at wholesale price. A Thames officer arranged for them to stay with his mother, and they have been inundated with further offers of help. .

"We were sitting in the van covered in glass and trying to deal with this and we just thought at the time 'let's get out of here'," Ms Graye said. "But the reception we have had here, with everyone being so wonderful and up until that moment we had a good time, so no I can't say it's put us off New Zealand."