A wife accidentally ran over her husband twice in Opoutama, New Zealand.

Terry Telford, a contractor by profession, had stepped out of his house, when his wife Sandy ran over him.

She was reversing her small 4WD vehicle at their Waikokupu Rd property.

Later, a Lowe Corporation rescue service spokesperson said Sandy initially did not know what had happened, and drove forward, knocking Telford down second time.

He was airlifted to Hawke's Bay Hospital with head, chest and back injuries.

St John Ambulance district operations manager Stephen Smith, who came to Telford's rescue, said he had not lost consciousness.

He said: "He was conscious and talking throughout though."

Wairoa Police Senior Sergeant Tony Bates said Telford's wife was in a state of shock.

"We will speak to her when we feel it is appropriate," Stuff.co.nz quoted him as saying. (ANI)