Swarm of bees interrupts Worthing election count

A swarm of bees briefly interrupted local election counting at Worthing Leisure Centre on Friday afternoon as officials and candidates were told to remain inside the building for safety reasons.

The bees were seen flying around the entrance to the leisure centre, where counts for Adur District Council, Worthing Borough Council and West Sussex County Council elections were taking place. Returning officer Paul Brewer advised candidates and election staff not to go outside while the incident was ongoing.

The swarm was reported to contain around 10,000 bees. Security staff later moved the insects away from the entrance and towards the lower part of the car park, allowing activities at the count to continue.