A holiday-maker had to take cover in his car yesterday after a swarm of angry bees were dropped from their truck.
The insects poured out of three hives, which fell off the back of a Mercedes Unimog travelling along the A93 Braemar to Blairgowrie road.
The incident happened near Braemar Castle at around 8.50am.
Jim Mortimer, who was driving from his cottage in Fochabers down to Scarborough, was shocked when he rounded the corner and was confronted by scenes reminiscent of a science-fiction movie.
And while the road is usually a hive of activity with morning rush hour traffic, this was an all together more unusual sight.
Not only were wooden crates and broken boxes strewn across the road, but approaching Mr Mortimer’s car were three people kitted out like “spacemen” in protective clothing.
He said: “When I first came round the corner I thought it was a group of spacemen, but it was beekeepers in all the kit.
“The hives had fallen off the truck.
“They weren’t taking any chances, they had the full beekeepers suit on as the bees were everywhere.
“I wasn’t getting out the car because the bees were absolutely everywhere, swarming all over the hives.”
It is thought there were about 30 or 40 hives on the truck and the three “casualties” had fallen off along a short stretch of the road before the occupants of the vehicle realised.
Police said officers had not been asked to attend.