The Newent Beekeepers are urging people not to panic if bees swarm near their home now the warmer weather is here again.

Club spokesman Peter Lawson-Smith, of Kilcot, said that his own bees have started to swarm.

This happens when an old queen flees the hive, taking half the bees with her and leaving a new queen behind with the other half.

He said: "It's the way bees reproduce themselves. People see up to 20,000 bees in the air like a black cloud and they might think, killer bees. But the bees are gorged with honey and sweet tempered."

Mr Lawson-Smith said that if the bees settle somewhere inconvenient, the local police could be called for a list of beekeepers who could take the swarm away.

He said: "The bees should not be sprayed with anything, because they are kindly creatures."

The Newent Beekeepers are also willing to be called out, and they can be contacted on 01989 720123 or 01531 650318.