A husband and wife were left with a bee in their bonnet following a little retail therapy.

After parking their car at The Mall Chequers in Maidstone Barbara and Simon Servante returned to find it covered by a swarm of bees.

The couple, from Sheppey, had been in the county town doing some holiday shopping ahead of a trip to Spain but their visit left a sting in the tail.

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Bees swarmed the car, which was parked in The Mall Chequers. Picture: Spotted in Maidstone

Mrs Servante said: “It was a really big shock. My husband said someone had put something on my car.

“I then saw the bee keepers around it. I thought someone was doing a You’ve Been Framed trick on me.

“I was told there were about 20,000 bees and around 5,000 were left on the car or dead. I still think there’s some in the engine.

Video: Bees swarm around the car

“I’m frightened to lift the bonnet to check for damage.

“I’m at work right now and have left my car parked in Sittingbourne. I’m hoping lightning doesn’t strike twice.”

Mrs Servante added that it is thought around 20,000 bees had descended on her car and the most likely reason given was their fondness for its cream colour.

Beekeepers tending to the car

One of the first on the scene was The Mall’s cleaning supervisor Steve Ryder, who immediately got in touch with The Mid-Kent Maidstone and Swale Beekeepers’ Association.

The 35-year-old said: “There were bees everywhere on the car and you could hear this heavy buzzing under the bonnet.

“People were keeping their distance and I stayed by the car to help keep the area clear as we were conscious about people who can have allergic reactions to stings.”

Bees swarmed the car, which was parked in The Mall Chequers. Picture: Spotted in Maidstone

Keith and Marj Underwood, from the beekeeper’s association, attended shortly after.

They had been celebrating their wedding anniversary but spent about over three hours coaxing the bees into a mobile hive.

Last year bees were also blamed for a smattering of yellow dots on parked cars across the county town.

The blobs turned out to be bee excrement caused by an unseasonably warm September and the luscious levels of pollen available in the area.

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