A LUXURY hotel has introduced two hives of bees to its grounds as part of a major redevelopment.

Rockliffe Hall, the five-star hotel in Hurworth, near Darlington, now has 20,000 bees in its gardens.

Rockliffe’s head gardener, Phil Mennell, has attended a special bee-keeping course and is looking after the new Rockliffe recruits, who it is hoped will soon be producing delicious honey to be served in the hotel.

In the short time Mr Mennell has been looking after the Buckfast-breed bees he has become an avid beekeeper.

He is checking them once a week while they continue to settle in to their new surroundings in a secret part of the resort so they are not disturbed.

In time, the bees will also help pollinate the Walled Kitchen Garden in the new Mischmasch multi-functional parkland development, due to open at the end of this summer.

The Alice in Wonderland-themed gardens are a 1.5 acre parkland scheme costing £750,000 which is inspired by author Lewis Carroll, who was brought up in nearby Croft.

The gardens will feature a nature trail, sculptures, large adventure playground, water fountains and a maze as well as Arctic cabins in woodland.