UPPER HUTT MAN PUSHES ROGUE COUNTDOWN TROLLEY 14KM HOME FROM WELLINGTON CBD

An Upper Hutt man has spent Sunday pushing a stray Countdown trolley 14 kilometres from Lambton Quay back to what he reckons is its home store, arriving just after 4pm.

Neville Craddock, 61, said he'd spotted the trolley outside a bus stop while waiting for his wife to finish a hair appointment. "It was just sitting there. On its own. Bit sad really. Thought I'd take it back."

He was not, in fact, heading that way. Neville had driven in. His wife Colleen, contacted at home, said she'd received a text at 11.42am reading "taking a trolley back, love, don't wait up" and had assumed it was autocorrect.

"He does this," Colleen said. "Last year it was a gnome from Petone. Before that a road cone he swore belonged to the council. Thirty-two years at IRD does something to a man."

A Countdown spokesperson thanked Neville for the gesture but noted the trolley was from the Johnsonville branch, and that a coin-return system exists for a reason. Neville, told this on arrival, said a bloody word and sat down on the trolley.

He is, as of filing, still sitting on it. Colleen is bringing the car.