Police shoot armed man on State Highway 1 near Invercargill

CARTERTON, NEW ZEALAND - JANUARY 07:  Police stand guard at the cordon near the accident site on January 7, 2012 in Carterton, New Zealand. Emergency services attended a hot air balloon crash that has killed 11 people in the early hours of Saturday near the Wairarapa plains town of Carterton. The balloon burst into flames and crashed killing all aboard.  (Photo by Marty Melville/Getty Images)
Photo credit: Getty Images

Police have shot an armed man near Invercargill on Saturday.

Officers were seeking the man after a "call of concern for a female" when he "presented a weapon" to officers on State Highway 1 at Dacre.

He was then shot shortly before midday and taken to hospital in a serious condition where he is undergoing surgery.

State Highway 1 / Edendale-Woodlands Highway remains closed between Kerr Road and SH 98 while police conduct a scene examination. Motorists are asked to avoid the area and take alternate routes.