Cardiff port boss rescued swarm of bees from under bench

A port manager became an unlikely wildlife hero after rescuing hundreds of bees.

When Callum Couper was told a swarm had settled under a bench on Cardiff Bay Barrage, he put his skills as a part-time bee-keeper into action.

After enticing the queen, the rest of the swarm followed and was taken to Cardiff port's apiary at the weekend.

Mr Couper, of ABP South Wales, is selling the honey from his hives to raise money for a wildlife charity.

He said: "Aware that we look after bee hives at the port, Cardiff Harbour Authority contacted us to ask if we would be interested in rehoming the bees, to which we of course said yes.

"Biodiversity projects are an important part of our port environment and it's great that we've once again been able to give a swarm of bees a new home."

Since rescuing a small swarm from his house six years ago, Mr Couper has developed an apiary at Queen Alexandra Dock at the Port of Cardiff.

He now has thousands of rescued bees in six hives near the lock gates.

Money raised from the sale of honey, matched by Associated British Ports, is donated to invertebrate charity Buglife Cymru.