Swarm of bees attack students at Potter Junior High School

FALLBROOK – A swarm of bees attacked a group of students at Potter Junior High School today, leaving nearly a dozen of the youngsters nursing one or more stings.

The victims were taking part in a physical-education class at about 9:30 a.m. when they ran near a beehive they did not know was there, prompting the insects to go after them, North County Fire Protection District spokesman John Buchanan said.

After escaping the swarm, the 11 stung youngsters went to the school nurse's office for first-aid. From there, two were taken to a hospital for evaluation of possible allergic reactions to the bugs' venom.

School staffers cordoned off the area around the hive and called in a bee-eradication service to remove the colony of insects from the Reche Road campus, Buchanan said.