Thousands of bees rescued from a town centre by amateur beekeepers have been given a new home - on the roof of a busy shopping centre.

Bosses at Fremlin Walk in Maidstone had planned to introduce a number of hives on an environmentally-friendly green roof on top of Zara later this summer, but the sudden appearance of two swarms meant the plans were brought forward to give the bees a home.

The swarm of bees was rescued from a busy shopping street

It is believed the rescued bees housed at the popular shopping destination could eventually total around 80,000 - with more to follow later in the year.

Yesterday evening an operation took place at the bottom of Gabriel's Hill to gather up one swarm which was perched on the top of a litter bin.

Stephanie Kalaichakis was one of the local beekeepers called in to assist with the rescue and placement of the hives on the roof at Fremlin Walk.

She said: "Both hives are made up of a colony of female worker bees, who take on a number of different roles such as maintaining the hives and flying up to three miles to source food for male drone bees and the queen bee.

"By the time these swarms have grown to their full size, each colony will have around 40,000 bees.

"A lot of people may not realise that we actually rely on bees and other insects to pollinate many of our fruit and vegetables, so they are essential to not only a healthy environment but also a healthy economy. Places that are good for pollinators, are good for people too.

"Having a home for the bees in Maidstone town centre is crucial, so we are extremely grateful to be partnering with Fremlin Walk. We can't wait to revisit their rooftop once the flower garden is complete."

The shopping centre hopes the green roof will help burnish its environmental credentials, alongside efforts to reduce carbon emissions, introduce renewable energy sources, increase recycling and minimise water usage.

Fremlin Walk centre manager Lloyd Wright said: "We already had plans to home a number of hives on our rooftop over-looking Brenchley Gardens this summer, so when we were asked if we could home two this week, it was an easy decision."

The news of the hives at Fremlin Walk comes as Cllr David Burton - himself a keeper of bees in the town for four decades - urged local people to do whatever they can to help protect the environment.

"We are determined that the protection of the environment will be at the heart of everything we do at Maidstone Borough Council," the newly-elected leader of the council said, marking World Environment day tomorrow.

"Everyone can help play a part in preserving this planet which we all rely on for survival. Just a small action like growing trees, rewilding our gardens or cleaning up rubbish alongside rivers and coasts all make a difference.

"I have been keeping bees in Maidstone for more than 40 years and appreciate the essential contribution they make to our lives as pollinators of nearly three quarters of the plants that produce 90% of the world's food.

"Through our Maidstone Borough in Bloom competition, we hope to encourage more people to think about the bees and wildlife in our surroundings, why not give it a try?"

Escaped animals, unusual finds and news from the RSPCA can all be found here.

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