An 68 year old woman was taken to Tauranga Hospital by ambulance after she fell into one of the pits at the 9^th Avenue Vehicle Testing New Zealand testing station.

Mount St John Ambulance says the woman suffered minor injuries when she fell on Thursday.

This VTNZ station was the scene of the woman's fall.

VTNS marketing manager Renee Campbell-Scott says the customer was released from hospital later.

'She's feeling very fortunate, and I'm thrilled she was able to go home last night and nothing more serious has happened,” says Renee.

'The Labour Department has already been into the station.

'If there's anything they find that we can do to ensure it won't happen again, we will be doing it.”

The woman was escorted into the area by a vehicle inspector, says Renee.

'Our customers are often escorted over to the car – that's what was happening yesterday.

'The vehicle inspector escorted her to the car to show her an issue with her lights, to show her the beam setter in action so she could actually explain it to the person who was repairing it.

'She was over, looking at the car with the beam setter on it when somehow, I'm guessing, stepped back just a little bit and didn't realise the pit was behind her.”

The vehicle inspector had his arm behind her back and so he was able to quickly react and break her fall, says Renee.

'This is one of the reasons why we don't have customers in the lanes or in the pits because there are hazards,” says Renee.

'There's lip around the pit as well to give a sensory warning.”