Homebase says it will remove ‘harmful’ insecticides from sales after two ‘giant bees’ protested outside its Battersea store.

Friends of the Earth, an environmental campaign group, visited the branch in Old York Road to hand in a petition demanding it to stop selling flowering plants grown with three neonicotinoid pesticides.

More than 18,000 people signed the petition.

A Homebase spokeswoman said: "As a responsible retailer, we remain committed to reducing our environmental impact, taking action where necessary with regards to our product ranges and supply chain.

"We have been working closely with our suppliers and seeking advice from other stakeholders about the use of neonicotinoids and we have committed to stop using these insecticides on garden plants, as well as removing neonicotinoid-based garden care products from sale by the end of 2018.

"This will be supported by a robust audit process, which will include ongoing monitoring of the evolving science surrounding pollinators.

"This decision took some time while we sought advice from our team and suppliers as well as other key stakeholders. This is consistent with the way we approach any decision that impacts our offer to customers."

Dr Nick Rau, a Friends of the Earth bee campaigner, said: “We’re delighted Homebase has committed to not using bee-harming neonicotinoid pesticides on its garden plants, and to back this up with a robust auditing process.

“This is great news for our bees, and for the many thousands of people across the UK who urged Homebase to act.

“We hope the Royal Horticultural Society will now back calls for these neonic pesticides to be kept out of our garden plants.”

Neonicotinoids are a category of insecticides with a similar chemical composition to nicotine, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has agreed to stricter policies on their use this month (November 9) after growing scientific evidence.

Michael Gove, the Government’s environmental secretary, said: “I’ve always been clear I will be led by the science on this matter.

“The weight of evidence now shows the risks neonicotinoids pose to our environment, particularly to the bees and other pollinators which play such a key part in our £100 billion food industry, is greater than previously understood.

“I believe this justifies further restrictions on their use. We cannot afford to put our pollinator populations at risk.