Woman found safe and well

A woman who went missing in the Motueka Valley at the weekend was found safe and well by members of the public.

Judith Nash, pictured, went missing after a car accident in the early hours of Saturday morning. She was last seen at 5.30am walking north with her dog, Scooter, along the Motueka Valley Highway.

Nash was found about 4pm yesterday by members of the public. Police would not say where she was found, but it was

‘‘within the search area’’.

Yesterday afternoon police intensified their search, with volunteers, LandSAR and a team of six searching the Motueka River by jetboat and kayak.

Senior Constable David Cogger said the search of the river was to ‘‘cover all bases’’.

Nash’s car was found off the road about 800 metres from where she was seen. The crash did not appear to be serious, and it was unlikely she would have been badly injured, Cogger said. ‘‘She’s driven off the road and hit a fence.’’

He said the main concerns for Nash’s wellbeing were the length of time she was missing, her age, and the fact she was alone.

Police search teams spent Saturday and most of yesterday looking for Nash, along the highway and on tributary roads. The Nelson Bays Search and Rescue group helped. Police asked people living in the Motueka Valley to check their properties for any sign Nash was there.