Kids found after dinghy swept away

Three young children swept into the Kaipara Harbour have been retrieved safely by family, shortly after police started a night time search.

The children - aged eight, nine and 12 - were playing in a dinghy in a creek when they were washed into an area called Hargreaves Basin, on the Topuni River west of Wellsford, late this afternoon.

A night search was launched by Northland Police and the Northland Emergency Rescue Helicopter was deployed about 6.30pm.

Inspector Peter Raymes, of the Northern police communications centre, said the children made their way back to shore and were helped by their family before police arrived at the scene.

"It was going to be a long protracted operation but the children made their own way back to shore and were uplifted by their family prior to any police or Search and Rescue intervention.''