Britain's towns and cities are home to more types of wild bee than farmland, a study which took place in Swindon and other urban areas, has found.

Flowers planted in gardens and allotments provide a valuable food source for bees across the year, according to research.

Scientists counted honey bees, bumble bees and other pollinating insects, in and around some of the UK's largest towns and cities.

Urban habitats can provide a valuable role in bee conservation, they say.

Honey bees, bumble bees and other insects that pollinate plants are under threat from habitat loss, pesticides and diseases.

Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote Urban habitats can contain remarkably high pollinator species richness”

Prof Jane Memmott University of Bristol But new research suggests that bees and other pollinating insects thrive as well in towns and cities as they do in farms and nature reserves.

A team led by Dr Katherine Baldock, of the University of Bristol, said urban landscapes - making up 7% of the UK - deserve more attention in the drive to protect bees from decline.

"Urban areas could be managed in a way to be good to pollinators," she told the BBC.

"What we need to know next is which habitats within urban areas are good for pollinators."

While farms are often planted with swathes of one crop, gardens and allotments provide a mixed source of flowers across the year, which is a valuable habitat for insects, she added.

Suburban sprawls Commenting on the study, published in the journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B,

And Dr Dave Goulson, of the University of Sussex, said: "This is an indictment of modern farming methods, but is also greatly encouraging for those gardeners who put in wildlife-friendly flowers and leave a little space for nature.

"There is huge potential to turn our suburban sprawls into giant nature reserves if we can get more and more gardeners on board."

The study looked at the abundance and richness of pollinating insect species in and around Bristol, Cardiff, Swindon, Reading, Greater London, Southampton, Leeds, Sheffield, Kingston-upon-Hull, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee.

A total of 7,412 insects were recorded visiting flowers. Bee abundance did not differ between landscapes, but the richness of species was higher in urban areas than on farmland.

Celebs show the love in climate change video

Meanwhile, celebrities including Stephen Fry, Jarvis Cocker and Raymond Blanc have taken part in a short film to "show the love" as part of a campaign on climate change.

They have joined actors David Harewood, Alison Steadman, Meera Syal and Emilia Fox, Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and presenter Dermot O'Leary to bring to life Shakespeare's famous Sonnet 18 on love, Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?.

The 101-second film - directed by Stuart Rideout of Ridley Scott Associates and featured above - ends with a message urging the public to join efforts to tackle climate change.

It is part of the Show the Love campaign, which aims to raise the profile of climate change and make Valentine's Day green by encouraging people to wear green hearts and discuss the things they love that could be lost to rising temperatures.

The week-long campaign by the Climate Coalition of more than 100 organisations including Greenpeace, Oxfam, RSPB, Cafod and WWF, comes in the build up to key United Nations talks in Paris in December which aim to secure a new global climate deal.

Show the Love aims to show government and businesses that the public cares about climate change and wants them to take action in Paris to tackle the issue.

Stephen Fry, an Oxfam supporter, said: "Climate change is already happening yet not a lot is going on when it comes to doing something about it.

"When you think about losing what you love because of climate change, it's a no-brainer to want to see things change for the good. It's time our world felt the love. We need to stop climate change so that the things we love are not lost."

RSPB supporter Alison Steadman said: "One of the many things I love but stand to lose are bees. They are so small but so vital - if we lose them, it would be devastating.

"The world would be far less colourful, far more hungry and the cost of replacing their service would be billions. It's Valentine's Day, let's not lose the things we love most, especially the birds and bees."

To find out more about the campaign, visit fortheloveof.org.uk