THE last beekeeper in Darwen has accused the council of ‘destroying’ the insect’s natural habitat.

Bob Fulton, of Pole Lane, who is also the swarm catcher for Blackburn, Darwen, and Mellor, says the borough council’s policy of mowing meadows, cutting down wild flowers such as dandelions, daisies and mayflowers, has contrib-uted to a decline in the bee population.

He said he was part-icularly concerned abo-ut a series of meadows running from Sough Lane to Priory Drive in the Marsh House area of Darwen.

As bees usually travel within a one-mile radius, he said the loss of these wild flowers would leave the insect with nowhere else to go.

He said: “There is no excuse for it. The fields are not being used for rec-reation or for grazing.

“What is wrong with just leaving it to nature?

“Bees need pollen at the beginning of the year for breeding, and most of that comes from the dandelions.

“We are getting rid of the very things we need.”

The British Beekeepers’ Association estimates that bees contribute £165 million to the agricultural economy in the UK every year through pollination of crops.

But official figures say that more than two billion bees died over winter in the UK and Defra have committed to injecting £4 million into stemming the problem.

Mr Fulton, who has been bee-keeping for 40 years, said he had noticed a massive decline in the bee population and that last year was the first time he had not been called out as swarm catcher.

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration and environ-ment, said they had cut the meadows for years.

He said: “There is a demand for the area to be cut as otherwise the area can attract tipping and litter.

“We also have to manage the grass to keep the path-ways clear for residents to use.

“There are a number of biological heritage sites within the borough, some of which have wildflower meadows, including a wild-flower meadow site within Whitehall Park in Darwen.

“But they require proper monitoring plus managed maintenance and are not a ‘no cost’ option.”