A 52-year-old male was rescued from the Kaimai Ranges after injuring his hip.

The injury was serious enough to warrant the call-out of the Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter.

The man had slipped and fallen while swinging from a tree vine.

The plan was to winch the patient into the helicopter as access was difficult because of trees, but members of the NZ Fire service carried him out to a place where the helicopter could land.

The rescued man was stabilised at the scene by paramedics before being flown to Tauranga hospital for further treatment.