Man found injured near Wairoa park

A Wairoa man is in Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital with serious head injuries after he was found lying injured near a park in the town this morning.

Police and ambulance staff were called to the corner of Lucknow St and Mansfield St at around 10.30am today after a member of the public found the 19-year-old man lying beside a ditch on the road. The man had earlier been seen wandering along the road in a disorientated and distressed state.

Detective Sergeant Steve Smith of Gisborne CIB said the man had serious head injuries when he was found. He was taken first to Wairoa Hospital, then transferred to Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital. He is in intensive care in an induced coma.

"At this stage we are unsure how the man received his injuries," Mr Smith said. "We have a team of staff working on the investigation and we hope to ascertain exactly what happened to the victim and who was responsible."

There was no indication at this stage that the incident was gang-related. Police were keeping an open mind as to whether the man had been assaulted or if he had been involved in an accident of some sort.

Mr Smith said police were keen to speak to anyone who had noticed any suspicious or unusual activity this morning in the area of Lucknow St, particularly near the Lambton Square Memorial Park.

"Someone may have seen some activity in the area this morning that might have seemed out of place or that caused them concern. It's important that we speak to them as soon as possible."

Anyone with information about the man or any related incident should contact Wairoa police on 06 8388345.