There was a buzz around Boots Opticians in Chichester, West Sussex, recently when a swarm of bees descended on the practice.
The area was cordoned off by police community support officers while shoppers looked on. Luckily for worried staff, local beekeeper Anthony Cropley happened to be walking past. He returned to the branch in his beekeeping suit and used smoke to disperse the bees, and then collected them in a cardboard box.
Practice customer service adviser Liz Bennett told the Chichester Observer that staff put a sign on the door directing patients to the back entrance during the incident.
'We saw what we thought were flying ants outside,' Bennett said. 'I came downstairs and there were swarms of bees outside so we had to shut the doors. We phoned the council but they said to contact the local beekeeping association.
'It was really quite weird, but funny at the same time, everyone was stopping to take photos.'