Kerrie Brainwood contacted Creative Tree Services from a business card she found in her letterbox.

She wanted two trees removed from her front yard and a number of branches trimmed.

The company quoted her $3300 to do the work which included removing the large timber and mulching the smaller branches.

She paid the money and work started on February 20 when a group of islanders or Maori people arrived with hire equipment from Coates.

When Mrs Brainwood arrived home after work that day she found the wrong tree had been removed, many of the branches she wanted trimmed had been left, a fence had been damaged along with other plants and parts of her garden and all the trees and branches that were cut down were strewn across her yard.

Days later the organiser, who goes by the name Gus, asked for another $1700 to have the trees removed and the area cleaned up.

However after paying the money the group did not return.

“I feel like such an idiot,” Mrs Brainwood said.

“The company isn’t answering my phone calls anymore and I can’t afford to get someone else into finish the job.

“I called the police and council rangers but they said they can’t help,” she said.

Mrs Brainwood had since been told by numerous people, including local tree loppers, that they were aware of this group.

“I hope that by going public with this it will stop other people being caught,” she said.

“Gus and the other men were very charismatic, they were very believable.”

The Register attempted to contact Creative Tree Services but calls were not returned.