Bees removed from airport after swarm near gate

A swarm of bees had to be safely removed from a gate at Gatwick Airport after settling around it.

Dozens of bees swarmed around the gate on Sunday afternoon, before being coaxed away from the airport by beekeepers.

Gerry James, of the Reigate Beekeepers Association, said that work to remove the bees took about six hours.

A Gatwick Airport spokesperson said that no flights were delayed due to the swarm, and that it was "very grateful to our local beekeeping community".

James said that he got about "four or five calls a year" from Gatwick due to bees, adding that he was "like a little child in a sweet shop" when he was called to the airport.

"It's very exciting," he added.

"You are under pressure until you finish because you know the gate is out of action.

"Gatwick is to be congratulated for what they do with the bees. They are very concerned about nature."

James said that after passing his tools through security, he was able to remove the bees using a nuc box, which acts as a "mini-hive" for storage and transportation.

He later returned to pick up any final bees, which had returned to the airport later in the evening.

The bees will now be housed at one of the beekeepers association's training apiaries, where novice beekeepers learn the trade.

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