Thieves ransack community bee project

Last year Kersal Vale Beekeepers launched Salford’s first ever bee laboratory at their site at Kersal Vale Allotments in Lower Kersal.

But the specialist facility is now out of action after thieves stole their £1,200 generator which powers the laboratory. The culprits cut the locks off the laboratory and an adjacent storage unit causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

They also broke into a wendy house used as a rest room for disabled gardeners at the allotment site, stealing tea and sugar.

Harry Davies, chairman of Kersal Vale Allotment and Horticultural Society, said: You can’t believe that someone would steal from a community facility like this that is helping to educate local children.Not only have they taken the generator, but we’ve had to replace all the locks and they cost £150 each so it’s thousands of pounds worth of damage that has been caused. And to break into the wendy house for our disabled gardeners just to steal a bit of tea and sugar is a real low.

We are gutted about what’s happened, but we’re not going let them get us down – we’ve got to plod on.

The apiary, which is home to eight hives and 500,000 bees, has regular visits from schools and community groups.

The laboratory, which is used to examine honey bees for deadly diseases, was funded thanks to a grant from social housing provider Salix Homes, through its Your Salix, Your Say fund.

Sue Sutton, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: The bee project is a wonderful community resource which we have been very proud to help fund over the years, so we are incensed to hear about the break-in.

It’s a real kick in the teeth for everyone at the allotment site who all work so hard and give up their own time to keep the project up and running. I would urge anyone who may have seen or heard anything about the break-in to contact the police.

The break-in took place overnight on Thursday, September 25 and anyone with information should call police on 101.