Man trapped after falling into a silo in South Otago

The Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter has been dispatched after reports of a man trapped in a silo.

A 45-year-old man has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after becoming trapped in a grain silo near Balcutha this morning.

An Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter was dispatched shortly before midday after police received reports the man had fallen into the silo, in the Hillend Area, near the intersection of Hillend and Coe Rds, north of Balclutha.

St John spokesman Gerard Campbell said the rescue helicopter carrying a specialist paramedic landed at 12.15pm.

A police spokeswoman said about 12.30pm the man had now been lifted out of the ''nearly empty'' grain silo.

Mr Campbell said the helicopter left the scene at 12.33pm and was en route to Dunedin Hospital with the seriously injured man on board.

A woman living nearby said there were three dairy farms in the area of the incident, all with silos.