Mother and son airlifted to hospital after horror attack by swarm of bees

A mother and her three-year-old son were airlifted to hospital after being attacked by a swarm of thousands of bees during a walk near their home in Poolewe, Wester Ross, in June last year. Rosie Kirkness, 31, and her son Jamie Macdonald were each stung more than 150 times in an incident her mother has described as traumatic and potentially fatal, prompting her to launch a petition calling for beehives to be banned from public spaces until clearer safety laws are introduced.

The pair were treated at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for kidney problems, swelling, muscle spasms and cellulitis, and both later required readmission, with Jamie suffering ongoing kidney issues and Rosie now needing to carry an adrenaline pen. The petition highlights a lack of legislation on where hives can be sited near public areas or requiring warning signage, a gap the Scottish Beekeepers Association says should be addressed by keeping hives away from footpaths and areas used by children. The Scottish Government said existing law already makes it an offence to allow creatures such as bees to cause injury or alarm to the public, with enforcement falling to local authorities.