BOAT owners had to take a second glance to convince themselves that their eyes were not deceiving them when this unusually clad individual was seen making his way through the marina to one of the vessels.

The bizarre scene was played out at Haven Marina on the Waterfront recently, much to the intrigue of those passing by.

But rather than someone from Sizewell Power Station or a visitor from another planet it was a Suffolk beekeeper called out by Haven following a swarm adopting a more executive lifestyle.

The bees had set up home on the high-tech equipment on the mast of a luxury yacht.

It is thought the bees may have been from a colony disturbed earlier in the week by contractors working in the dock area.

There were subsequently reports of at least one other swarm of bees settling in the area, and these had been safely collected earlier. However, this swarm decided to make life a little more difficult for the beekeeper by settling on equipment on the roof of one of the exclusive launches in the marina.

A spokesman for Suffolk Beekeeper, the firm which was sent in to deal with the matter, said the problem was soon brought under control.

“After an hour of patient encouragement the bees were safely shepherded into a skip and removed from the boat before being moved off to their new home in a hive to the west of Ipswich,” he said.

“Here they will enjoy life in the countryside and hopefully start producing honey for the beekeeper.

“Keep your eyes open for the latest brand of Waterfront Honey at the local shows from now on!”

Have you faced a similar problem with a swarm of pesky bees? E-mail: starnews@archant.co.uk