Poison drop scare

Department of Conservation contractors have accused other contractors, who were flying helicopters, of dropping 1080 poison pellets on them while spraying weeds in Taranaki.

A 12-man crew were spraying weeds in Lucy's Gully, about 17km southwest of New Plymouth.

"We've got poison dropping on top of us, we just wanted to get the hell out of there ... it's a scary thought," contractor Lewis Beattie told One News.

DoC spokesman Phil Fleury said the department had informed the men about the drop two days earlier.