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Hive removed after couple spots honey dripping through ceiling
Sticky situation: a couple from Leicestershire noticed honey dripping through their bathroom ceiling.

Hundreds of bees found in listed building

An enormous bee hive has been removed from a loft after a couple spotted honey dripping through their bathroom ceiling.

The hive was found in a grade II listed 18th Century house
in Leicestershire earlier this month.

The couple told BBC News that they found the “sticky substance” coming through a light fixture.
But it was not until heritage insurer Ecclesiastical cut a hole in the ceiling that they made the “surprising” discovery.

“The couple noticed a patch [and] on closer inspection they could see that the substance was sticky and coming through the light fixtures, said an Ecclesiastical spokesperson. "They [also] noticed a lot of bees around the house and at this point sought an expert view. The bee expert made a hole in the ceiling and discovered the huge hive."

The insurer added that because of the amount of honey, the claim had to be made in a similar way to water damage. After the busy bees and their honeycomb were removed, the ceiling and light fixtures were repaired.

David Bonehill, claims director at 
Ecclesiastical said: "Claims for this type of damage in older properties are relatively common. Usually leaking pipework is the cause rather than honey!"

Image (C) Ecclesiastical

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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News Shorts
Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.