Killer bees in police sting

ABOUT 100 police officers in Mexico were forced to bolt from an open-air firing range when they were attacked - and stung - by swarming killer bees.

Some 70 officers were stung and wounded, including three seriously, during the attack in Chiapas state near the Guatemalan border on Monday. "From the first shot (on the firing range), there was a loud buzzing noise and tonnes of bees began to appear, attacking everyone in sight,'' said civil guard official Miguel Serrano. The barrage took place in the town of Tapachula, where the Africanised bees' aggressive reaction forced the police to seek refuge in their own training headquarters, with many suffering stings all over their bodies. Among the more severely wounded were three female police officers who required emergency treatment at the scene, while the remaining victims were sent to a hospital in Tapachula, Mr Serrano said. Officials said the three female officers were in stable condition while the others were out of danger.