A BEE keeper from North Dorset has spoken out after warnings that shops could run out of honey by Christmas.

Apiarists from across the north of the county gave a warning to readers of the Daily Echo earlier this year of the consequences of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Now less than three months after the paper first published the bee keepers concerns, one of the nation's biggest suppliers of honey to the supermarket chains has warned that stocks could be exhausted by the festive period.

Lesley Gasson keeps eight colonies at her home in Shillingstone, tending as many as 60,000 bees at the height of the season.

"I would expect to harvest about 60lbs of honey from each hive, so nearly 500lbs in total. This year I have harvested 200lbs," said Mrs Gasson.

"There was some good weather at the beginning of spring, but many people I know have seen their harvest reduced by as much as half," she added.

Bad weather for two consecutive summers had been the catalyst for the latest gloomy prognosis, said the Shillingstone apiarist.

High winds left bees vulnerable to being blown off course and discouraged them from leaving the hive to forage, said Mrs Gasson, adding that cold conditions left very little to forage upon.

Further research was needed into the prevalence of the parasite, Veroa, said Mrs Gasson, and its possible connection with CCD.

"Veroa is a tick that sits on the bees. It's a vector for disease.

"Acute Paralysis Virus is another problem, where bees huddle together to keep warm, and don't move again," said Mrs Gasson.

Farmers needing pollinated crops had joined bee keepers in their call for greater funding from DEFRA for research into Veroa, said Mrs Gasson.