DUDLEY Zoo got a surprise visit from around 3,000 extra animals after the arrival of a massive swarm of bees.

The swarm of honey bees settled on a tree next to the camel enclosure on June 19, creating a buzz around the zoo which required professional help to sort out.

Staff summoned Sedgley bee-keeper Robert Cheswick and following a two-hour operation the swarm was removed to form a new colony.

Dudley Zoo's head of communications, Jill Hitchman said: "Thankfully, it was in a quiet part of the zoo at the end of the day and the bees didn't head towards any animals.”

Mr Cheswick, said: "It was quite a large swarm, made up of honey bees, which I believe had relocated from somewhere fairly close.

"I snipped the branch off the tree, complete with attached bees and then transferred them to a container before taking them home."