BOGUS tree fellers tried to scam an elderly woman out of more than £2,500.

Wendy Jervis, 70, called Greenwood Tree surgeons after receiving a leaflet through her door with a Basildon number on it.

Men posing as workers from the genuine company based in Berkshire, agreed to tidy and apple tree, cut out a pyracantha and take away the waste for £575, plus what it called “weightage”.

Once the work was done Mrs Jervis asked for the final tally and was astonished to find the bill had shot up to £2,545.

The workmen refused to take a cheque and instead drove Mrs Jervis to a branch of the Halifax in her husband’s car to withdraw cash.

Mrs Jervis from Westcliff, who suffers from leukaemia, said: “I assumed weightage would be whatever rubbish they cut back that had to be taken away but I was astonished it was so much. They wouldn’t take a cheque because they said they would have to charge me VAT.

“They insisted on me getting the cash out. I don’t drive and my husband is in a care home so one of them drove me to the Halifax.”

Mr Jervis was lining up to withdraw the cash when a couple she knew spotted her. Mrs Jervis explained what had happened to friend Martin King and his partner Sandra Allen who told her they thought it was scam.

Mrs Jervis said: “It was sheer luck my friends happened to be visiting the same bank and I explained the situation to them. Martin went out to the car and remonstrated with the man who walked down the road making a phone call.

“He came back and said to Martin that I was mistaken and that they had only asked for £918. My friends said they were going to ring the police and he walked away.”

Mr King, 67, from Hadleigh, said: “We saw Wendy at the bank and she told she had to come in to get more than £2,500 for these people who had done two hours work.

“I said there was no way it could cost that much. The bloke was sitting in Wendy’s car and he just said it was a mix-up but when we said we were going to call police he was away on his toes. The police arrived a couple of minutes later.”

Greenwood Tree surgeons told the Echo they were aware of the scam and had reported it to police. Police did not respond to our request for a comment.