BEVERLEY was a hive of activity as 10,000 bees descended on the town.
The town was buzzing as the bees set up home in County Hall yesterday, creating quite a stir among workers.
In what looked like a scene from a David Attenborough wildlife programme, residents watched in awe at the bees circulating the area.
Steve Burgess, of the Beverley Beekeepers' Association, was called by East Riding Council at 11am to sort the problem.
He managed to get them out of the building and into Register Square.
Mr Burgess said: "It took me about an hour from when I got there to get the bees into a box and under control.
"The idea is to get the queen in the box first and then the others will follow.
"This was quite a tricky job due to the way the bees were hanging off a trolley, but I eventually managed to get them in there and pulled the trolley into a car park to keep them away from the public."
Mr Burgess went back to the car park late last night to collect the bees and put them in a beehive.
This was the first swarm of bees Mr Burgess has had to deal with.
He said: "For a first job, this was really exciting."
Mr Burgess, whose wife is also a beekeeper, says the bees may have descended on County Hall after moving from a different location.
He said: "When a colony of bees gets too big, the queen will often fly off to find a new place, with half the colony following her.
"I can't say exactly where they will have come from, but they can fly for about a three-and-a-half-mile radius."
The police and highways agency were called to the scene to stop shoppers from walking up and down Register Square while Mr Burgess sorted the problem.
He said: "Luckily, no residents were stung by the bees, apart from a police officer who was stung on his ear.
"Normally, when you get a swarm of bees, they are benign because they are full of honey so won't sting you as they are nice and calm."
Accommodation manager for East Riding Council, Chris Webb, was first on the scene outside County Hall to deal with the situation.
He said: "We had quite a few bees here last year and the year before, but nothing like this."
Crowds gathered to watch Mr Burgess collect the bees.
One shopper said: "You don't see something like this every day."
An email was issued to staff at East Riding Council, making them aware of the swarm.
A council spokesman said: "We advised staff to keep their windows shut to stop the bees from getting inside the building."
Mr Burgess praised the way the council dealt with the situation.
He said: "Bees are currently in such a decline and it is important we look after the ones we do have.
"The team at the council recognised this and called us as soon as possible to deal with the situation safely for both the bees and members of the public."
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