Two Sale beekeepers agreed with United Utilities to accommodate their bees at a wastewater works in Altrincham.

The Manchester Honey Company, run by Gareth Trehearn and Louise Trehearn, met the supplier for the North West through campaigners The Friends of Carrington Moss.

Gareth and Louise agreed with United Utilities to accommodate a dozen colonies at the wastewater works on Woodcote Road and there is an intention to add to the colonies.

A batch of honey from the area is due in autumn to add to a range which includes Sale Honey, Stretford Honey and the Guild Of Fine Food award-winning Urmston Honey.

Messenger Newspapers: The Manchester Honey Company's range

Gareth, who is something of a sensation on social media and TikTok with millions of views on his videos, said: "I was delighted when we were able to explore the idea of having hives at the Altrincham Wastewater Treatment Works thanks to a suggestion from The Friends of Carrington Moss.

"There are plenty of plants all around perfect for pollinators, and there is a water source in Sinderland Brook too.

"Typically, bees collect pollen within a mile of their hives, so the honey they produce has a distinct local flavour according to which plants are prevalent in the area. A batch of Altrincham Honey will be available in around September from our website."

Messenger Newspapers:

Mark Sewell, the catchment manager at United Utilities, said: “We are so proud to have the bees living at Altrincham Wastewater Treatment Works. All the site team enjoy watching them buzzing around and of course they can’t wait to taste the honey.

"Providing a home for these pollinators is a great way to support the local environment, helping us in our aim to make our region greener, and also it gives us the chance to help a local business and the local community."

For information, go to manchesterhoneycompany.com. 

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.