Man gravely ill after bee attack

DARWIN (Reuter) - A 24-year- old Australian council worker was fighting for his life yesterday after receiving more than 1,000 bee stings while pruning trees.

The man's body was blue after the attack. He clinically died three times, said a St John Ambulance officer, Edeline Sinclair.

The victim, who has not been named, jumped to another tree to escape the bee swarm after he accidentally disturbed the insects. Neighbours who witnessed the attack threw the man into a nearby swimming pool.

He suffered two heart failures and was pronounced clinically dead twice at the scene of the attack and once at Royal Darwin Hospital, Ms Sinclair said. The man was in the intensive care unit and was described as being in a serious condition.