Management of a Mount Maunganui shopping mall say they are mystified as to why part of the roof fell in on shocked shoppers yesterday afternoon.

The Bayfair Shopping Centre was packed with people around four o'clock when a glass roofing panel shattered and fell, showering them with bits of safety glass.

To make matters worse, it happened during a heavy shower of rain, but it is not known if the rain contributed to the incident.

Manager Anne Clark says although the mall was crowded, there were not that many people in the area where the glass fell.

A five-year-old was taken to a medical centre for stitches to a cut to his face, and a woman got a cut finger.

The entire roof area will now be checked out.