The borough's gardeners have made a winning beekeeper out of a Hammersmith woman.

Defying gloomy predictions of a dire shortage of honey at Christmas, Melanie Whitlock, is not only yielding astounding amounts of the sticky stuff, but earning accolades for it too.

She beat 150 other beekeepers to scoop two top prizes for her honey, despite being a relative newcomer to the game.

The Twickenham and Thames Valley Beekeepers' Association show awarded the gongs last week, having sampled her dark honey which is produced in four hives in an allotment just over the Hammersmith Bridge.

The urban beekeeper is adamant her swarms journey over to Hammersmith and Fulham to feed off the nectar in the borough's abundant gardens.

Their lime trees, apple trees, lavender and dandelion, among a host of other plants, are the perfect fodder for her hungry bees.

As a result, her early Summer yield takes on a distinct lime taste, and later they produce a darker honey thanks to ivy nectar.

But her prizes were also a nod to gardeners and a reminder that their toil is crucial for the survival of a species.

Mrs Whitlock, who lives in Ashchurch Grove, Shepherd's Bush, said: "Everyone in west London has really nice honey and it has everything to do with the lovely gardens we have.

"If I can, I would encourage everyone to think twice about using pesticides and make space for bee-friendly flowers. Most people can find room for a pot of lavender and maybe a few dandelions.

"People don't realise the wonders of their garden in the wider environmental scheme."

The annual English honey harvest dropped to half its normal level this year, with appalling summer weather conditions compounding the effects of the collapse across the England.

The Varroa mite and pesticides have been pinpointed as the reason.

Either way, they need more environments to thrive, so get gardening and if you happen to spot a swarm in your garden, it is likely they are looking for a home, in which case you should call a beekeeper.