It began as a bit of fun and became a personal challenge for one semi-naked man and approaching half a million bees. Crowds gathered in Chongqing, southwest China this week to watch - at a distance of 20 metres - as She Ping’s wife and five fellow beekeepers covered the 34-year-old in a “bee dress” made of 456,500 of the insects. It weighed 45kg or more.

"I first did this at 22, just for fun and out of curiosity. Later on, I would put on the bees just for the sake of making people believe I sell actual real honey," he told the Chongqing Evening Post. "The last time I did this, I put on a total of 15 beehives on my body, but today I'm breaking my own record [with 28].”

The beekeeper said he was “hot, suffocating and nervous” after his 40 minute ordeal and had been stung more than 20 times. His wife fears he will be badly hurt if he continues the stunts. But She added: “The only thought I had was to challenge and overcome myself."