Criticism after bee colony is destroyed

AN EXPERIENCED bee-keeper has criticised a decision by an Arun District Council pest control officer to destroy a colony of honey bees in Littlehampton last week.

He said bees are an endangered species and stressed that this colony would not have stung anyone.

Now the council has said that it wants to work more closely with beekeepers in the future.

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Beekeeper Geoffrey Hilder, of the Martletts, Rustington was so incensed that he sent an official letter of complaint to the council last week, asking for an explanation.

He said: "Like other beekeepers in the area, I am on a list with Arun District Council to go out to any bee swarms and sightings to help and advise.

"When I was contacted and told about the action taken, I was upset and very angry about what had happened."

A spokeswoman for Arun District Council said:"It is exceptional and always regrettable for Arun District Council to have to take this course of action and it is only ever done in situations where there is a significant risk to public safety."

For full story see West Sussex Gazette June 10

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