An elderly woman with dementia is thought to have lain injured in her crashed car for three days before she was found by a member of the public.

Police say Aquitania Luxford, who is 73 and known as Tai, was found about 5.30 this afternoon in her car which had crashed into a bank in the Rangitikei district – several kilometres away from her home in Palmerston North.

Ms Luxford is now in Whanganui Hospital with minor injuries with her family gathering around.

Police say it was a low-speed crash, with Ms Luxford appearing to have driven off the road, then staying in her car until she was found.