A person has serious injuries after being freed from under a tree branch which fell in central Christchurch this afternoon.
Photo: RNZ
Emergency services were alerted about 2.30pm when some limbs fell off a pin oak tree on Rolleston Avenue near Canterbury Museum, near the city's botanic gardens.
Police said the person was freed by the Fire Service and was being looked after by St John ambulance.
Christchurch City Council head of parks Andrew Rutledge said two people were under the tree when it fell.
One had serious injuries below the waist, while the other had minor injuries, he said.
Mr Rutledge said the tree was on council property.
"Our trees are checked regularly, the guys are scrolling through all the information just right now, just to double check when this particular tree was last checked.
"We've checked all the trees in the immediate vicinity - including the one that we're standing under - to make sure that they're in a safe condition."