The ecological damage that could be caused if honeybees are wiped out has been highlighted by an unlikely source – Liam Gallagher.

Britpop star and Oasis singer Gallagher was alerted to the plight of the bees after he used honey to cure a throat infection, the Sun newspaper has reported.

He said: "The bees are vanishing. We've got to save them before they all buzz off. It's important. It's a really worthwhile cause."

Scientists have said that over the last 50 years, the domesticated honeybee population has dropped by around 50 per cent.

The falling numbers are mostly the result of diseases spread by mites and parasites, which are affecting domesticated and wild bees all over the world.

One of the greatest problems is the varroa mite, a bloodsucking parasite which often leaves bees with deformed wings and abdomens and a shortened life span.

Pesticides used by farmers to spray crops have also contributed to the bees' decline.