Swarm of bees invaded council housing, leaving family ‘trapped inside’

A mother-of-two has shared how she and her family felt trapped in their own home after a huge colony of bees invaded the roof.

Charlotte Down said her young children were repeatedly stung after the crush first arrived at her council house in Canterbury, Kent, around six years ago.

Daughter Elsie, three, suffered a horrific reaction and was taken to hospital when she was stung in the toe after standing on one of the bees.

Charlotte told ITV Meridian: “Within minutes she was screaming and holding her neck because her throat was swelling, her whole body was swelling and a rash was forming.

“You’re obviously panicking.”

Thousands of bees can congregate on a fine weather day, Charlotte added.

“On a nice day they’re everywhere, walking on the floor, can’t open our windows because they’re on our property, the kids can’t come out and play.”

Charlotte says she has reported the problem to Canterbury Council on multiple occasions but the bugs have never been removed.

A bee removal expert was sent to the property but the mother of two was told it would be too expensive.

After a second expert was dispatched, nothing was done.

Another resident, Emma Dechamps, also revealed how she and her children were “terrified” to go in the garden – and expressed concern about bees flying into common areas in the apartments.

Canterbury Council has apologized for failing to provide a satisfactory response to earlier concerns.

A pest control company is due to visit the property today to humanely remove the bees, a spokesman told ITV.

Northamptonshire Police are set to break up a live Q&A about life in the force on Thursday after a “deafening” swarm of bees arrived.

Thousands of insects crawled on the windows of the conference room.

A message on Facebook revealed how the session had been canceled until further notice due to the infestation.

Elsewhere, people were warned to avoid Maesteg in Bridgend, Wales, on Sunday after a massive swarm of bees settled on the bonnet of a van while hundreds flew down the road and attached themselves to other cars.