IT looked as if someone had thrown their hat onto the bowling green.

In fact it was a large swarm of bees which landed on a bowling wood at Highcliffe Bowling Club yesterday forcing bowlers to swiftly abandon their game.

The bees were set to be removed by a local beekeeper following the drama at the club at Nea Meadows, Smugglers Lane South at around 4pm yesterday.

Lady vice-captain, Thelma Richardson, who witnessed the drama, said: “We were all playing bowls and all these bees came down. The whole of an outdoor bowling wood was covered by a swarm of bees. We all abandoned the bowling green.

“There were millions of them. We called the bee keeper and he is going to bring his hive along and take them away. It was an amazing spectacle.”