A SWARM of 20,000 bees over Tadcaster was “just like something out of a horror movie”, according to one resident.

More than 20,000 honey bees descended on the town and it looked like they were planning to stay.

Ken Banks of Heatherdene, said: “It was unbelievable. I was busy in the garden, when all of a sudden I noticed this mass of black coming towards me and I knew straight away it was a swarm of bees. “I alerted the neighbours and told them to close all their windows.”

Ken’s wife, Betty, said: “It was just like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock horror movie and the neighbours over the fence were screaming.”

But these were not killer bees and quite content to go about their buzziness settling, along the lane in Heatherdene to make a temporary home in a tree.

Mr Banks got straight on the phone to John Whitaker, of Barkston Ash Beekeepers’ Association.

Mr Whitaker duly came out, put them in one of his hives and took them away to do what they do best – make honey.