An injured farmer who spent the night on the edge of a river unable to move after an accident with his quad bike was airlifted to hospital by the Tauranga-based TrustPower rescue helicopter today.

At about 11.30am the rescue chopper was called to a Matamata farm where the 40-year-old farmer was suffering from serious injuries.

The TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter was called to airlift a man from a Matamata farm.

With the help of firefighters the rescue helicopter was able airlift the man to Waikato Hospital for treatment.

Pilot Todd Dunham says at around 6pm on Monday the farmer got off his bike to open a gate when the bike rolled forwards.

'The farmer tried to stop the bike but it knocked him into a deep trench and the bike came down on top of him.

'He managed to climb out of the ditch but due to his injuries he fell down another bank and stopped on the edge of a river.”

The farmer spent the night by the edge of the river and was located this morning by another farmer who went looking for him when he discovered he was not at his home.

The man suffered serious abdominal and pelvic injuries and was treated by St John paramedics before being flown to Waikato hospital for further treatment.

About an hour before the callout the rescue helicopter was also called to Matakana Island where a 70-year-old man needed urgent medical attention.

Todd says the man was stabilized by paramedics before being flown to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.