Furious residents ‘trapped in their homes' thanks to neighbour's beehives

The Irish Sun

23-05-2025

NEIGHBOURS claim they are prisoners in their homes because a nearby landlord has swarms of bees in his garden.
Residents of the quiet street say they are even too scared to open windows.
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Architect Nick Tweddle says the 160,000 bees house in a house he rents out are 'very gentle'
Credit: Adrian Sherratt - Commissioned by The Sun (do not credit thanks)
A pensioner, who did not want to be named, said: 'The last time I sat out in my garden was during Covid because there's always a risk of being stung.
'It's not that we don't like bees. It's just the huge numbers living in a small garden area and us being in the flight path.'
Another neighbour in Warndon, Worcs, said huge swarms meant it was like 'living in a horror film' while a third complained the bees had nested in a chimney.
Tradespeople are said to shun the area after some were stung.
There were claims of up to a million bees being in the garden of the house rented out by architect Nick Tweddle, 64.
But he insisted: 'I currently have eight hives with about 20,000 bees in each. That's 160,000 — and they're very gentle.
"My tenants happily sit outside on the terrace watching them.'
Nick, who lives in Hereford where he has other hives, added: 'No one is trapped.
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"I have spoken to some residents and even given them jars of honey.'
There is no law about how many hives can be kept in a garden, even in a heavily residential area.
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But the local council said the situation was being assessed by Worcestershire's Regulatory Services.