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Tommy in call for help after cruel break with sting in tail

27/ 6/2006

A BEEKEEPER is appealing for help after an injury left him unable to tend to his swarm.

Tommy Gambles is worried his bees will escape their hives if they aren't looked after properly.

The 55-year-old, who keeps about 180,000 honey bees at his Abbey Drive, Smithy Bridge, home, broke his leg last week when he slipped on a wet pavement.

He said: "To look after the bees I need two hands and steady legs. Unfortunately, since I had the accident I've been on crutches and I can't lift the hives. When I try I shake, which makes the bees angry and they swarm and try to fly off.

"They get into my neighbours' gardens which doesn't make them very happy, so I need help."

In a good year he says his three hives can produce about 100lbs of honey which he then sells to local shops.

The gardener and tree surgeon has been keeping bees since 1988 when he read an article about the pastime in the Observer.

But in that time Mr Gambles, who is a member of the Oldham and District Beekeepers Association, says the number of people in Rochdale who share his interest has fallen rapidly.

"There used to be an association in Rochdale but that disbanded about 10 years ago through lack of interest," he said.

"I asked for help at Oldham but the people who came forward lived too far away. In nearly 20 years of beekeeping I have never needed help, but I need an experienced local keeper to come forward otherwise I could lose my hives."