US authorities said a 55-year-old man went into cardiac arrest and died after being stung more than 500 times by bees as he cleared brush from a property in Southern California.

The man was gardening in San Diego County when he was attacked by the bees.

Deputy Fire Chief Scott Henry said the man ran about 200 yards to an outhouse in an attempt to escape. Mr Henry said firefighters found the man inside in full cardiac arrest.

Firefighters began CPR and took the man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

It was not immediately clear if the toxins from the bee stings caused the man to go into cardiac arrest. His name and an official cause of death have not been released.

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