A woman was airlifted to hospital after she was stung by several bees and suffered a serious allergic reaction, paramedics said today.

The woman, in her 40s, had been tending a beehive at her home in Newton St Margarets, Herefordshire, yesterday when she was stung up to a dozen times.

She was given drugs to stabilise her condition before being taken by air ambulance to Hereford county hospital.

Allergic reactions to insect stings are usually mild, with redness and pain over a localised area of skin. Sufferers may also experience swelling and hives.

In more severe reactions the whole body may swell up, with sufferers experiencing breathing difficulties, a feeling of dread, anaphylactic shock and collapse of the circulatory system, which can be fatal.

Life-threatening reactions may occur in highly allergic individuals, older people, those with heart and respiratory diseases, and as a result of multiple stings.

It is the second time this week that paramedics from West Midlands ambulance service have been called out to treat an allergic reaction.

On Wednesday, a 50-year-old man in Worcestershire was taken to hospital with breathing difficulties after being bitten by a hamster.