Swarming bees trap staff in chocolate shop

A chocolate shop became the buzz of Leominster after being attacked by a swarm of bees. Thorntons was forced to close last week after hundreds of bees settled in its doorway.



Staff were holed up in their Corn Square shop for two hours after the worker bees and their queen made themselves a home. Shoppers kept their distance and took cover after the swarm arrived from nowhere and flew around the square. They were eventually removed by a beekeeper after tourist information centre manager Gill Ding raised the alarm.

She said: “Nobody seems to know where they came from but it was probably from a larger swarm. It was quite alarming. An awful lot of people came to have a look but the beekeeper said not to disturb them as we didn’t want them flying again. She gradually just collected them into a cardboard box and then left it on the floor so the stragglers would be attracted.”


LiveLeak link.

Julie Walker, Hallmark and Thorntons shop manager, said the spectacle was interesting and filmed the bees using her phone. “We saw the bees outside so we shut the door in case they flew in,” said Miss Walker. “ That’s exactly what they did. One of our staff was a bit freaked out but it was interesting to watch.”