A mum from Cheltenham was shocked to find that a swarm of bees had inhabited her bike saddle when she returned to it.

Maria Hooper had chained it opposite Wetherspoons establishment The Bank House Pub in the town centre on Saturday, July 13.

When she returned to the scene at 2pm, at first she saw people gathered around the bike rack.

The 41-year-old mum of four then heard the buzzing and the rumbling of the creatures.

As the self-proclaimed housewife approached the area, she was surprised to find that people were looking at her bike saddle which was infested with a throng of insects.

The vivid yellow and black creepy-crawlies were making a nest of Mrs Hooper's bicyle.

(Image: Maria Hooper)

It was a new bicycle and she uses it every day to keep fit, exercise and "get fresh air everyday".

She said: "Well at first I thought 'How am I going to get home?'"

Mrs Hooper said that people tried to help moving the insects but that because honey bees are a protected species, nothing could be done.

"A nice gentleman rang to see if they could be moved but no bee keepers were free.

"As the honey bees are protected now, it was best to leave them to go on their own."

So she was faced with having to leave the bees on the bike.

"Well at first I thought how was I going to get home then I saw the funny side of it," she said. "Then I decided to walk home as it was a lovely day."

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She went on to say that she was happy to do this because "I don't want to harm nature".

The mum added: "I was brought up not to harm any living creature.

"We were all put on this earth to do something to keep this planet green."

Mrs Hooper said that on the next day - upon her return at 12pm Sunday, the bees had all indeed vanished - not even leaving a mark on the plastic saddle.

In summation of her experience, she said: "If it happens again I will do the same thing, just leave them. They will go in their own time."