Cricketers were forced to take evasive action as thousands of bees swarmed onto the pitch.
The swarm interrupted the National Counties One Day Trophy quarter-final match between Cumbria County Cricket Club and Northumberland County Cricket Club at Allendale Cricket Club, Hexham.
Cumbria CCC had managed to rack up an innings of 244 all out off 49.3 overs but there was an unlikely sting in the tail when a colony of bees were spotted moving from the Show Ground end towards the wicket during the Northumberland innings.
In quite bee-zarre circumstances, it forced the slips, keeper and facing batsman to stop play and lay down.
Consequently the umpire was forced to bring the players off the pitch and contact a local beekeeper with the score at 33/2 in the ninth over.
With the crowd waiting in anticipation to see if the match would be resumed or not, the swarm of bees settled between the river end and the trees. And as the smell of a smoky barbecue slowly made its way to within sniffing distance, the umpires eventually resumed the match.
Northumberland ended their innings on 170 all out from 32.5 overs - leaving the Cumbria team buzzing.
The result means Northumberland remain top-of-the-group because of their superior Net Run Rate but Cumbria can replace them and secure a home fixture in the semi-finals on July 2 if they secure just one point from their match against Lincolnshire on June 25 at Keswick Cricket Club.
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