One small step in the race to protect the dwindling honey bee population is being taken by the University of Lincoln.

A new course in beekeeping is being offered by the university's Riseholme Campus, which will be home to three hives with about 500,000 bees.

It is being set up by course leader for agriculture Ben Crabb, who started keeping bees at just seven years old.

"I'm just in the process of ordering the hives and they should be here in about two weeks," he said.

"People who come on the course will either be those who have hives or are interested in setting them up.

"After the course, people will be able to look after their own bees or even if they already do, they might just be a bit more comfortable with it."

The 10-week evening course will consist of hive management, bee development, swarming, handling and life-cycle.

And in the face of a mysterious affliction which is wiping honey bees out all over the world, the hives will be one step towards helping to protect the species.

"Honey bees are very important for our ecology," said Mr Crabb. "Einstein said that without bees the human population would only last for four years.

"The more people who keep bees, the more we go some way to save them."

A colony of about 2,000 bees costs anything from £130 to £175 and to set up a hive could cost as little as £500.

The hives are coming from family business E H Thorne Ltd, near Market Rasen – the largest bee business in the country.

For more on the new beekeeping course at the University of Lincoln's Riseholme Campus, see Tuesday's Echo.