Prince Charles’ beloved bee collection is under threat after a foreign species of hornet was spotted a few miles away from his private estate.

The predatory Asian hornet - which attacks bees by decapitating them - was found by a member of public in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire on Saturday.

A National Bee Unit inspector was dispatched to collect the dead hornet and take it away for further testing where it was confirmed as the first ever UK sighting.

The “voracious predator”, which hunts and kills bees, could drive many native British bees to extinctions, experts have said.

In efforts to combat the spread of the invasive hornet, a three-mile surveillance zone has now been set up and work is underway to identify and destroy any nests.