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A huge bee hive was removed from the loft of an 18th century house after the homeowners noticed honey “oozing” through the ceiling.

Hundreds of bees were found in grade II-listed home in Leicestershire when the honey found its way into light fittings and came through the ceiling in one of the bathrooms.

The homeowners, who have chosen to remain anonymous, were shocked to find the hive and quickly rang their insurers.

It treated the damage caused by the sheer volume of honey in a similar way to a water claim.

After the bees and honeycomb were safely removed, the ceiling and light fixtures were repaired.

David Bonehill, claims director at Ecclesiastical, said: "Claims for this type of damage in older properties are relatively common.

"Usually leaking pipework is the cause rather than honey."

Stewart Moss, from Lycetts Insurance Brokers, added: "This certainly is an interesting claim.

"With large properties, attics and rooms can often go unchecked for long periods of time and this gave the bees the opportunity to build quite an impressive home."