Tokerau Beach.
Photo: Supplied / Alina Jones

Beachgoers are being warned not to swim or collect shellfish at a Far North beach after a pump failure caused a sewage spill.

The overflow occurred at the northern end of Tokerau Beach, near Whatuwhiwhi on the Karikari Peninsula, on Tuesday.

A Far North Waters crew was sent to the pump station to clean up the spill using a sucker truck and replace the pump.

Some sewage flowed onto the beach, but because the tide was out, it was unclear whether any entered the sea.