A beekeeper and personal injury lawyer was killed after he was attacked by his own swarm.
Father-of-two Christopher Weaver, 56, was feeding bees in one of his hives when thousands of the insects swamped his body.
The Falklands veteran, who was not wearing protective clothing, tried to escape but suffered stings across his head, chest and stomach.
Chris, a grandfather, collapsed in front of a horrified friend and was rushed to hospital but died in hospital shortly after the attack on April 12.
Doctors say he was killed by a combination of acute left ventricle failure and coronary artery atheroma – heart failure triggered by the venom.
His father Alec, 79, of Plymouth, Devon, said: ”He had several beehives and was very passionate about them. It was something he loved to do.
”He worked in the legal field and it was a great way to relieve the stress of his work.
”Chris was very careful but one day they just turned on him. He had stings all over him and the poison caused a huge heart attack.”
Chris, a personal injury lawyer, was killed as he tended one his large hives at an allotment near his home in Leicester.
He became interested in bees during a career with the RAF when he befriended an elderly beekeeper near his base.
His wife Sandra, 28, a legal secretary, was at the couple’s home just 300 yards from the beehive when the tragedy happened.
She said: ”He went up to feed them and the next thing I knew, his friend was banging on the door saying he’d collapsed.
”He was the sort of person who was adamant that he knew what he was doing. He was always being stung.
”I miss him so much. He was a dream. Chris was a loving and caring husband. He had a great sense of humour and will always be in my heart.”
Paramedics spent half an hour resuscitating Chris at the scene but he died the same day in hospital.
His mum Monica, 80, of Plymouth, said: ”He took up beekeeping years ago and he was hooked on it good and proper – although he got stung so much, he probably thought he was immune.
”He was my little golden boy. I loved him so much. He was a lovely lad, so outgoing and caring. He charmed the birds out of the trees.
”Everybody liked him and he loved people – he was all heart. He adored his wife Sandra and they were so happy.”
Chris leaves behind grown-up sons Mark and David and a seven-year-old granddaughter Ella.
During a 12-year career with the RAF he served as a radar operator in the Falklands War.
