THOUSANDS of honey bees have taken up residence on a pillar in Abertillery town centre.

Shoppers were shocked to see the swarm had made themselves at home outside St Michael’s Church on Church Street earlier this week.

Gwent Police called out a bee keeper out - who said there were at least 64,000 there.

He didn't want to disturb them as they were protecting the queen bee, he said.

One shopper to capture them on camera was Antonia Chambers. Ms Chambers, 36, of Abertillery, said: “As I came around the corner towards the church I almost bumped into a man who was taking a picture.

“He pointed towards the church and I saw the bees. I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“It was about 1.30pm and I was in the town for a couple of hours but hadn’t seen them before.”

Ms Chambers added: “There were hundreds of them flying around as I filmed them and took photos."

Ms Chambers said a man and a Gwent Police CSO were guiding people around the swarm.

“I wasn’t worried," she said "I was just in awe and didn’t think about them stinging me until afterwards."

Gwent Police sent officers to cordon off the area at around 2.30pm because the bees were swarming in Church Street and there was a concern that it was approaching the time that children leave school.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said the bees then left the wall as it is assumed they found a new nesting area.