A car is partially submerged in the sea at Stanmore Bay.

Police were told just after 6.30am that a vehicle was in the water and said they were trying to find the registered owner.

There was no information to suggest anyone was inside the vehicle, a police spokesperson said.

It would be possible to get to the car once the tide was out.

RNZ's photographer at the scene said there were no tyre tracks to suggest how the vehicle entered the water or where it had come from.

Waves were crashing over the car three hours before the 10am low tide.

Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro