British beekeeper told his order of baby Italian bees would be ‘destroyed’ if he tries to import them

The Italian bees will be used to help farmers pollinate valuable crops amid declining UK bee populations.

A beekeeper trying to bring 15 million bees into the UK says he has been told they may be seized and burned because of post-Brexit laws.

Patrick Murfet says he tried to import bees via Northern Ireland but was told they would be destroyed.

The European Commission report says this is “likely the result of honey produced in other countries and further blended in the UK before it is re-exported to the EU”.

A delivery of 15 million baby bees to the UK could "be sent back or destroyed" because of post-Brexit laws, the man trying to import them has said.

A British beekeeper was warned that his baby bees could be seized and burned if he tried to bring them into the UK because of Brexit rules.