March 2, 2009

A mother and her four-year-old daughter's lives were saved after they were pulled from their burning car following a crash near Taupo this afternoon.
A car left the road and crashed into an embankment on Whangamata Road on the way to Kinloch, north-west of Taupo just after midday today.
The car rolled upside down and caught fire, trapping the 26-year-old mother and her daughter , said Hendry de Waal, base manager for the Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter.
Two people travelling in the opposite direction saw the accident and rushed to help. They managed to free the mother and child before fire destroyed the car.
Neil Dodds, from the BayTrust Rescue Helicopter, said their quick reactions possibly saved the pair from disaster. Once stabilised by St John Paramedics, the Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter and the Rotorua Bay Trust Rescue Helicopter flew the mother and child to Waikato Hospital.
They were described as in a serious but stable condition.
The burning car was quickly put out by firefighters from Kinloch.