Short Croquet League Match Interrupted by Unregistered Visitors

Things were buzzing in Bath on Sunday when the Croquet Club’s long-awaited match against Bristol was interrupted by a swarm of bees. This was the first round in the SW regional Short Croquet (Restricted) league, in which the games are played on half-sized lawns with some additional rules to encourage developing players. After a strong showing had Bath leading 6-2 at lunch, play had to be stopped when a large swarm of Honey Bees became established in the plum tree on lawn 1. After some internet searching, a local apiarist, Stuart Wilson, agreed to come and inspect the swarm and see if he could take it away. This he duly did – after some tricky work on a step ladder to shake the bees into a box – and he reported that the swarm comprised about 15,000 bees. The swarm was taken away later in the evening and will be found a new home in a vacant hive.
The match continued in glorious weather and saw the Bath team of Martin Alabaster, Sue Duncan, Tony Jackson and Andy Wagstaff take a comfortable win 10-6.

At least he wore his whites.
MBA