Paramedics winched from helicopter to rescue man who stepped on 'huge' wasp nest

Paramedics were winched down from a helicopter to rescue a man who had inadvertently stepped on a wasp’s nest and suffered a severe allergic reaction to being stung at Warkworth in Northland late this morning. 

Crew of the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter were dispatched to the scene in a forested area at around 11.40am to assist the patient.

With no safe landing zone nearby, the Intensive Care Paramedic and Helicopter Emergency Medical Service doctor were lowered down to the man by winch. 

Co-pilot Aaron Knight lowered the medical team about 10 metres away from the wasp nest, which he said was apparently "huge". 

One wasp managed to hitch a ride to a windy ridge nearby where the helicopter relocated to as there was nowhere else to land while medics attended to the patient. 

The patient was airlifted out of the area to be transported by ambulance to North Shore Hospital.