NEIGHBOURS on a Bradshaw street may have noticed there is a buzz around the place ­— with one garden being a veritable hive of activity!

For bees that normally keep themselves busy in the grounds of Bolton School have come to reside in the garden of technology teacher Graham Butchart ­— and are playing a part in the current crisis by producing honey to be distributed to those most in need in Bolton

Mr Butchart, who teaches at the leading school, brought home the Bolton School Beekeeping Club hives ­— adding to the five he already had ­— so he could tend to them during lockdown.

And only in the past week, ten jars of honey from those hives have been donated to Urban Outreach which is preparing food packages for those families most in need during the Covid-19 crisis.

In addition, ‘Butchart’s Bradshaw Bees’ donated five more jars to the cause ­— with more on the way.

The 25,000 or so bees were moved early in the morning, sealing up the hives before the bees started flying and then packed into the care.

"I was wearing my beekeeping gear while driving and I got a few side way looks," said Mr Butchart, "I think some may have thought I taken the PPE that little bit too far!"

Bolton School Beekeeping Club was started around eight years ago, and Mr Butchart volunteered to help out a colleague ­— never expecting he would get a taste for the hobby, which is of immense benefit to the environment.

"It is a case of when an interest becomes an obsessions ­— reading books about bees before bed," said Mr Butchart,"It's fascinating, watching bees ­­— its like Game of Thrones ."

And he says the bees can be as ruthless as the characters of the hit series, with male bees sent packing after lazing around for most of the time.

While tending to the bees, Mr Butchart is posting videos for the school's beekeeping club and pupils.

And it seems that more people in Bradshaw are honing their beekeeping skills, with one neighbour having even more hives. And it seems to be catching on with a fishery and farm having bee hives.

Mr Butchart says the honey produced is not difficult to harvest and the taste is in a league of its own

He said: "The honey has so much flavour, you taste the flowers. I know the bees here have been to Bradshaw Brook where there is Himalayan Balsam, and the honey has a peach taste to it."

And to prove to his wife, the two were not in danger of getting stung, Mr Butchart placed the hives within metres of the patio at first, and he said the bees happily went about their business.