BEES have been in decline but have started to recover owing to increased awareness of their plight.

However, their very existence and our own wellbeing is now again under threat due to the use of intensive agricultural use of even more chemicals.

A temporary ban was imposed upon the use of neonicotiniods which was thought to be a danger to them and many other insects and by inference the whole natural food chain.

These detrimental effects have been conclusively proven by many scientific and research establishments.

But our government is burying its head in the sand and about to capitulate to the bullying lobby that is the pharmaceutical companies and their demand to again treat our food crops with chemicals not only harmful to our insects and bees but ultimately to us.

As a beekeeper of some years I can attest to the effects that neonics are having on our honey bees and indeed the whole insect world.

Please do not let this happen.

Show Liz Truss the strength of our national feelings that we do not want our food stuffs interfered with in this way and to save the bees.

Mic Laird, Eversfield Close, Andover