Vandalism reported at beehives on King George V Playing Fields

Several beehives at the community apiary in King George V Playing Fields, Ashton-under-Lyne, were damaged when they were overturned by unknown individuals. Images from the scene show a toppled hive surrounded by debris and broken branches, with wooden poles and bricks seemingly used to displace it. Nearby hedge branches were also found around the hives.

The Friends of King George V Playing Fields (FoKGVPF), responsible for the apiary's upkeep, reported that the incident led to the death of a queen bee and possibly thousands of worker bees. They are now working to introduce a replacement queen, which will cost £50 plus £10 for shipping. If the new queen is rejected by the worker bees, the colony, valued between £300 and £400, could be lost permanently.