THREE Nestlé employees in York have trained as beekeepers so they can look after 60,000 bees in the complex's first beehive.

The idea for the hive came from the three, Antonio Abella, Arna Walker, and Elizabeth Skrzypecka, as part of a 30-day internal entrepreneurial challenge.

Honey from the beehive,which is situated in a safe and secure area near the company's Product Technology Centre in Haxby Road, will be used to spark innovation for new recipes and products.

But a spokeswoman said it was also part of Nestlé strategy on biodiversity. "Bees are vital to food production and the environment, yet their population is in decline in many regions," she said."This scheme will give the UK bee population a boost."

Antonio, whose surname means bee in Spanish regional language Galician, said he had always been passionate about the insects, adding:"I am so excited to have been given the opportunity to train as a beekeeper.We have also planted wildflowers around the area to support biodiversity even further and as a way for the bees and other pollinators to really thrive."

Louise Barrett, head of the Product Technology Centre, said the hive was raising awareness of the important role bees play in biodiversity. The ‘Bees at work’ programme may now be rolled out across other Nestlé sites.