THOUSANDS of bees brought chaos to Manchester city centre when landed in a busy shopping street.

Shoppers and office workers ducked for cover as the swarm buzzed around their heads yesterday. The honey bees, following their Queen, settled on a telephone exchange box outside Waterstone's bookshop in Police Street, near Deansgate.

But council exterminators killed them after judging they were a danger to passers-by. The bees, protected by wildlife laws, did not sting anyone and experts said they posed little danger unless disturbed.

But Manchester city council could not contact a bee keeper to move the bees and after two hours decided to move in. Crowds looked on as police sealed off the pedestrianised street, while white-suited pest killer Andy Varton, wearing a protective mask, sprayed the swarm with insecticide.

Pest control supervisor Gordon Hulston said: "With so many people passing by, including children, we could not take the risk of them being disturbed."