A DAD-OF-FOUR has been killed after a sand dune collapsed and buried him alive as his horrified young family watched on.

Kane Watson, 28, was playing with his three stepsons, 18-month-old daughter and his partner on a beach when he was suddenly swallowed up by the dune and trapped for over 15 minutes.

Witnesses say they heard the piercing screams of his kids as they desperately tried to dig their dad out of the sand.

The family were on a day out to Muriwai Beach, 40km northwest of Auckland, New Zealand when the fatal accident occurred.

At around 5pm on Saturday, Kane was digging a hole when it collapsed without warning.

He was left buried underneath the heavy load in front of his family.

A woman told the New Zealand Herald she and her husband rushed over to help after hearing the

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