Dramatic footage of military vehicles arriving on the scene to take up a "support role" after four police officers were shot during an armed siege in northern New Zealand.

The four officers were shot earlier today during a stand-off at a rural property in Kawerau, reportedly after an offender started shooting at a police aircraft deployed during an anti-drug operation.

According to local reports, one of the officers is in a serious but stable condition, the other three are not injured seriously.

The gunman was reportedly holed up in a house.

Like in the UK, regular police officers in New Zealand do not carry firearms and rely on a specialist unit for armed confrontations.