IF bees could talk, they would surely be appealing to the world with the message which 50,000 of them spelled out on the world's first bee billboard.

Paddy Wallace, of Quince Honey Farm, helped create the "Save our Swarms" message by attracting live bees to create the wording.

The sign was created outside the farm in South Molton, North Devon, after owners were approached by wine company Banrock Station, which is contributing 5p per bottle to help the Co-Operative to raise £45,000 to improve research into the disappearing bee phenomenon.

Mr Wallace, who runs the farm with his wife Jean and son Ian, created the sign using a pheromone which mimics the scent of the queen bee.

He gathered up thousands of insects from the hive, and released them near the sign, so they swarmed towards the smell.

They only stayed long enough for pictures to be taken, before they were scraped off and released again near their hive.