The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Under attack: Steve Holmes
A Spalding man was stung 17 times when a swarm of bees attacked him without provocation.
Steve Holmes, a leakage technician with Anglian Water, was targeted when he lifted the cover to a sluice valve in a corn field.
It was something he’s done almost daily in his working life for 30 years – and never before had a problem.
Steve (55), of Pennygate, said: “I saw something in the bottom of the chamber which I thought was [other] insects.
“Suddenly they started coming up. I went to put the cover back on but several got out.
“They were everywhere –on my legs, arms, neck, back.
“They were even sitting on my watchstrap and on a band I wear on the other wrist to get extra penetration.
“It was painful at the time and quite frightening.”
Steve grabbed his hi-vis jacket and waved it around to get rid of the bees, which he thought were more akin to hornets than ordinary bees.
He and his mate, who escaped untouched, then jumped in his van but Steve had to stop driving when he was stung again on the chest by two bees inside his shirt.
Steve said: “I didn’t do anything to provoke them but I probably just disturbed them by lifting the cover.
“I was lucky to fight them off before the full swarm latched on.
“I want to ask parents to make their children aware that this can happen and that they should move well away.”
The incident happened near RAF Wittering last Wednesday.
