A car has fallen metres into the water at Evans Bay Parade in Wellington when its handbrake failed this morning.

It is understood three children might have been in the car at the time but were pulled out to safety.

Police were called to the scene about 7am, police communications spokesman Marc Clausen said.

The car's handbrake failed and the vehicle rolled backwards through a fence into the water, he said.

It was being towed out now with the assistance of the police dive squad.

Police were not told there was anyone in the car, Mr Clausen said.

A neighbour told Fairfax Media she woke up at 7am to screams coming from the car.

There were children inside but they were pulled out of the water by another neighbour, she said.

The car was half-filled with water in about 15 minutes, she said.