This is the moment a man caught on camera vandalising a beehive was dealt swift justice.

CCTV footage shows the foolhardy man shoving the lid off a hive and then kicking it at King George V Playing Fields in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, only to realise his mistake.

Insects are seen swarming around the camera, before the vandal is joined by an accomplice.

But the pair scarper after one of them jumps and holds his back in apparent pain after appearing to have been stung.

CCTV images show them casually walking off, seemingly unaware they had been caught in the act at around 6.30pm on January 29.

The Friends of King George V Playing Fields group is appealing for anyone who recognises to yobs to come forward and report them to police.

Beekeeper Ian Screen said thousands of bees could have died after being exposed to the cold.

Luckily, most of the insects were hibernating and wouldn’t have been stirred.

But the group won’t be able to check how many bees have survived until the summer because they can’t open the hive during the winter months.

They risk causing more damage if they lift the lid again while the insects are hibernating.

Friends group chairman Alan Fish said: “It was a freezing cold night, it could have been so much worse.

“Luckily, the hives are pretty solid, so they only got the top off. There are stacks inside, with bees in each.

“They only managed to let some of the bees in the top section out - so most will have been asleep and won’t have escaped.

“But the danger was exposing them to the cold. It’s just so senseless. It could have been tragic.

“Just going about smashing things like that is beyond belief. It’s a great park and we don’t have a lot of trouble.

“This is the first time the beehives have been targeted, it’s such a shame.”

The friends group started with one beehive three-years-ago and have built up a colony of thousands.

Honey produced is filtered to be sold at Georgie Porgies cafe at the park. Unfortunately, the insects have not produced enough for volunteers to sell this year.