A group of four people, including a 4-year-old girl, who failed to return from a short walk in bush near Dunedin were found early this morning.
Family members reported the group of three 22-year-old women and the young child overdue to police after they failed to return from a short walk in the Silver Peaks Reserve.
Police said in a statement that a helicopter using night vision goggles found the group after detecting the light of a cell phone screen.
The group were checked over by medical staff and apart from being very cold, were uninjured.
About 35 police officers and LandSAR volunteers were involved in the search. Search dogs and a helicopter were also utilised.
The weather in the area was mild but police believe the group are unprepared for a lengthy stay in the bush and are unlikely to have food and water.
Metservice meteorologist Larissa Marintchenko said the overnight low for the area was about 3C with high cloud and moderate winds.