A Glastonbury vet surgery is extending its creature care beyond the clinic door by becoming a bee-friendly practice.

Orchard Vets, in Wirrall Park Road, has joined the British Bee Veterinary Association's Bee-Friendly Veterinary Practice Scheme.

Vet and bee enthusiast James Aitken told Glastonbury Nub News: "I've been interested in bees for a number of years through friends and my wife has got into beekeeping, with a couple of hives of her own and sharing others.

"Bees are very important pollinators and vital for our food production.

"So when the practice received a leaflet from the association about signing up to the scheme we were delighted to get involved.

"We've planted half a dozen different varieties of flowering plants in our borders to attract bees and provide a source of nectar and pollen.

"We are also disseminating information about the benefit of bees and the invasive Asian Hornet - which is devastating to the honey bee population - through our farmers' newsletter and we have a poster inside the practice.

"We're also encouraging our clients to get involved and help our native bees through planting themselves - you don't need a big space, even a window box will suffice - and it's easy to do."

The British Bee Veterinary Association promotes awareness and education in the science of bee health, evidence-based medicine and management.