Air ambulance called in as Harrogate racers run into hornets’ nest

RUNNERS taking part in a Bank Holiday trail race in north Yorkshire had a tougher challenge on their hands than they’d bargained for, when they were attacked by a swarm of angry hornets.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance had to be called to the popular Spofforth gala 10k trail race, after runners apparently disturbed a hornets’ nest.

Several entrants were stung, while one who suffered a particularly bad allergic reaction had to be airlifted to hospital.

A spokesman for Yorkshire Air Ambulance said this morning: “We transferred one entrant to Harrogate hospital. A lot of people got stung, but we just transferred the one runner who had had a bad reaction.”

One runner wrote on Twitter yesterday: “Lost a fight with a swarm of hornets at Spofforth trail race. Should be more like Pooh and stick to honey bees.”

Around 250 runners had taken part in the popular annual trail race.