ABOUT 20,000 bees kept Worcester buzzing with activity when they forced part of the city's bus station to be closed after swarming in a nearby tree.

The honey bees descended at about 3pm yesterday afternoon, leading to a concourse at the station being cordoned off for about two hours to protect pedestrians.

No one was stung and beekeepers Richard and Adam Jackman, from Berrow Honey, Martley, were called in to remove the swarm. "It seemed there were thousands of bees circling just above passengers' heads. Fortunately, they were more interested in swarming than stinging anyone," said Pete Barber, the operations manager at CrownGate shopping centre, which houses the bus station.

"We're quite happy for the disruption if it means preserving the bees because of the fantastic job they do for us. Where would we be without bees?"

Margaret Faulkner, from Droitwich, who was shopping in the city, watched the rescue. She said: "I'm scared of them because I've been stung before by bees. I'm pretty pleased I'm not underneath them - I've never seen a swarm before and it s bigger than I thought."

Adam Jackman said the swarm would have formed to follow a new queen bee.

"We will start them off as a new hive. I've no idea where they've come from - they don't tend to go too far," he added.