UPDATE: A swarm of 10,000 bees that had settled on a vacant shop on Quay Street in Truro has escaped capture and made off into the countryside.
Beekeeper Marcus Billing was drafted in from Indian Queens to capture the swarm that had settled on The Red Elephant Bead Shop in the city.
Mr Billing sprayed the bees with smoke to make them docile and used a brush to sweep them into a skep, a wicker basket used to contain swarms of bees.
But the crafty critters had other plans and before Mr Billing could capture them the bees fled in the direction of St Mary's Street Mews car park and beyond the near-by trees.
Mr Billing said: "I thought I was going to get them all, but all of a sudden they up and left. What I suspect happened is the queen got out of the skep and fled the scene, taking the swarm with her.
"If I would have caught them then I would have taken them to an apiary (bee yard) in Shortlanesend.
"But the swarm is off the main streets of Truro and away into the countryside."
EARLIER: A swarm of bees has descended on Quay Street in Truro.
The swarm is said to have broken out on Quay Street before settling on the sign of the vacant Red Elephant Bead Shop this afternoon.
Kitchen staff at Saffron restaurant on Quay Street spotted the bees flying "all around" the street.
Owner of Saffron, Chris Siagos said: "They have calmed down quite a lot now.
"When the staff first spotted them they were all over Quay Street.
"One of the kitchen staff has contact details for Richard Budge (Truro Parks Manager), so we gave him a call and hopefully the bees will be moved on soon."
Mr Budge is currently on the scene but did not have the correct equipment to tackle the swarm.
Instead, he has called in a specialist beekeeper to help rid the street of the bees.
He suggests the swarm was attracted to seagull excrement.
Mr Budge said: "I've moved a couple of swarms on before and they seem to be attracted to excrement.
"I have called in a local person to move the bees on. They don't seem to be causing any threat."
