BRADFORD Beekeepers are hoping the buzz will soon get round that supporters can now donate on-line to help the group recover from a recent break-in at its apiary.

Thieves who ransacked the apiary last month, and stole valuable equipment and a charity box, during an overnight raid have left the association with a £2,000 bill to make repairs and replace stolen items.

After a report in the Telegraph & Argus, the group started taking calls from well-wishers wanting to help so has now put a Donate Today option on its website at bradfordbeekeepers.co.uk

Apiary manager Ian Dwyer said: "We were lucky enough to get a fantastic grant for thousands of pounds recently but all of that has been directed for other things so suddenly we had to start scrambling round for extra money to put things right after the break-in - an expense we couldn't afford.

"Once the T&A did a report on our predicament we started to get calls from people wanting to help us so we thought we should get something up on our website in the hope more people will come forward and be generous."

Among the thieves haul was a 50-inch television bought from the £9,713 grant from The Gannett Foundation, run by the parent company of the T&A.

It was being used to educate schoolchildren as part of a project the association is developing at its Knowles Park site where it has set-up a teaching hub. Two hot water boilers and £110 in cash were also taken.

Burglars had broken the padlock off the gate and forced their way through steel shutters and a wood and steel door, every cupboard and drawer had been searched.

Mr Dwyer, who discovered the break-in early on July 25, said the break-in had been even more frustrating because the project was trying to do good in Bradford.

"We are here to help the bees and help education people about the good work they do," he added.

Anyone with any information about the theft, is asked to call West Yorkshire Police on 101.