London, June 28 (ANI): Bee stings kill as many people in the United Kingdom as terrorist attacks do, a report by a British government watchdog has claimed.

David Anderson, a barrister who serves as the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, pointed out in his report that risk from extremists has fallen markedly in recent years.

During the 21st century, terrorism has been an insignificant cause of mortality in the United Kingdom, Anderson wrote.

The annualised average of five deaths caused by terrorism in England and Wales over this period compares with total accidental deaths in 2010 of 17,201, including 123 cyclists killed in traffic accidents, 102 personnel killed in Afghanistan, 29 people drowned in the bathtub and five killed by stings from hornets, wasps and bees, he added.

Anderson said the situation has improved since the middle of the last decade, when Britain suffered the atrocity of 7/7 as well as the failed 21/7 attacks and the foiled fertiliser bomb and airline liquid bomb plots, The Telegraph reports.

He pointed out that last year the threat level in the UK was lowered from severe to substantial, while the same year saw the deaths of Osama Bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki.

According to the paper, Anderson added that terror threat is sometimes exaggerated for political or commercial purposes.

He, however, warned against complacency and said that terrorists would inflict more death, injury and fear if permitted. (ANI)