DAD-OF-TWO Sonny Florey fears for the safety of his children after a colony of bees attached itself to the roof of his Blackbird Leys home.

Tesco worker Mr Florey, 35, called Oxford City Council after the bees started buzzing around the eaves of his three- bedroomed council home in Sandy Lane.

But Mr Florey was told by a pest control officer that the council did not remove bees because the bee population is in decline.

The officer then offered to visit his home to identify the type of bee at a cost of £28.

Mr Florey, who lives with wife Anna and children Aurelia, three, and Eryk, 19 months, said: “I’m worried about the children because they play in the garden all the time and the bees have been crawling around on the patio.

“I told the council officer not to bother coming, looked the bees up on the Internet and discovered that they are tree bees.

“I don’t know if they have built a nest on the side of the house, or inside the attic and I haven’t been into the attic to find out because I am worried about getting stung.

“My grandmother, Molly Florey, the former city councillor, and my mother were both allergic to bees so I certainly don’t want any of us to get stung.

“Once or twice Eryk has tried to pick up the bees but so far I have managed to stop him.”

Mrs Florey, originally from Gliwice in southern Poland, added: “It would be much safer for the children if the bees were not here and we would be able to open the windows upstairs.”

Mr Florey added: “I understand that bees need to be protected but I think the council’s response has been pretty poor so far.”

Rae Humberstone, city councillor for Blackbird Leys, promised to visit Mr Florey to discuss the case with him.

He added: “I can understand that Sonny is concerned about his family’s safety but bees have to be treated differently to wasps.”

City council spokesman Louisa Dean said it did not tackle bees’ nests, adding: “We advise people to contact the British Beekeepers’ Association.”

Graham Eagle, from the council’s environmental development department, which includes pest control, said: “The bee is not a protected species yet but it is on the decline and is considered endangered.

“There may be a few specialist private contractors who would agree to come and remove the bees.”

Tom Leigh, a spokesman for pest control firm Rentokil, said: “We don’t deal with bees because they are considered an endangered species and we refer cases to beekeepers.”

The British Beekeepers’ Association can be contacted on 02476 696679

'LEAVE THEM Bumblebee Conservation Trust advice says: “Under most circumstances there should be no reason to move the nest — it will naturally die off within a few months.” And the city council’s website says: “A small inconvenience due to the position of a nest is more than repaid by the immense value of these insects as pollinators of many flowers and plants.”