Swarm of bees invades houses

9:12am Saturday 12th May 2007

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Thousands of bees have set up home in the chimney and gardens of two neighbouring houses in Kidlington - and the angry owners are desperate for them to 'buzz off'.

Ted Mobley and neighbour Pete Washington, of Oxford Road, Kidlington, first noticed a giant swarm of bees in Mr Mobley's front garden last July.

After just a day, the bees migrated into a chimney shared by both properties and the bees remained there through the summer.

They have made hourly excursions into Mr Mobley's lounge and he says he has had to swat them or suck them up with his vacuum cleaner.

Mr Mobley said he phoned Cherwell District Council to get somebody to come out and remove the bees, but was told that nothing could be done because they were six metres above the ground.

A pest officer from a private company was called out and he identified the insects, which are in a swarm attached to a tree, as wasps. His attempt to kill them using an aerosol spray was unsuccessful.

The insects returned to the garden last week but a pest control officer clarified that they were honey bees and said nothing could be done because they were a protected species.

Now both men are desperate to find a beekeeper who can take the bees away.

Mr Mobley said: "They are in the chimney and they have been coming down into the living room on average every hour.

"I have resorted to putting the hoover on them, but it is just ridiculous.

"There must be a beekeeper somewhere who would love to have all these bees for making honey."

Cherwell council spokesman Tony Ecclestone said: "It is our policy not to exterminate bees, but to try and arrange a local beekeeper to collect the swarm.

"Cherwell District Council keeps a list of local beekeepers prepared to pick up swarms.

"We are currently trying to make contact with a bee keeper willing to attend."