THE CENTRE of Tavistock was buzzing last Wednesday — and it wasn't just down to the usual shopping activity associated with a normal weekday in the town.

This time the distinctive droning noise was down to a swarm of around 5,000 bees, who decided to make their 'home' in a hanging basket near the entrance to the pannier market, between the town hall and Court Gate.

The bees, attracted to the flowers in full bloom, caused quite a stir among traders and shoppers.

Pannier market reeve Eddie Carruthers said: 'It was like something out of a horror film and quite a sight. It wasn't helped when some kids started throwing stones at them to make them swarm.'

Mr Carruthers said in his nine years 'he hadn't seen anything like it' but was quite anxious that people did not get stung.

'We looked on the web and managed to find the "Swarm Liaison Officer" who fortunately was in Tavistock. To give them their due they were here in half an hour and soon managed to take the bees away. They did a good job.'

Chris Hair, regional IT manager for Tindle Newspapers, was in the market at the time and took this picture on his iPhone.

Two members of the Tavistock branch of the Devon Beekeepers' Association, Asa MacIntyre and Alison Howes, dressed in protective clothing, came to the rescue to round up the 'cast' or secondary swarm of bees.

Alison, who is the branch's swarm liaison officer, said they had been informed by the police of a swarm in the town centre before they received a call for help from pannier market staff.

She said normally a colony of bees would number around 50,000, but this was a sub-colony, which she calculated to be around 5,000 to 8,000 bees.

She said: 'The bees could have come from anywhere in a half a mile radius. They were certainly a lovely calm and well behaved swarm. They were not really a danger to the public as they were full of honey and quite content.'

Asa carefully took the hanging basket down and guided the queen into a straw skep, using a sheet.

The bees were then taking to an apiary and Alison is hoping the young bees will be producing honey some time next year.

'When Asa moved the hanging basket he managed to tip water all over me. It was the first time I've been soaked collecting bees,' joked Alison.

The Tavistock branch of the DBKA has around 50 members and holds a teaching course at Rumleigh in Bere Alston.

If you are interested in taking up beekeeping or wish to report a swarm, Alison can be contacted on 01822 612340.