A man from Hertfordshire has been left struggling to walk after being bitten by what is believed to be Britain's most venomous spider.
Keith Robinson, 65, developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing cobwebs at his home in Watford.
The bite, which Robinson believes came from a false widow spider, led to a severe infection that has left him in "unbearable" pain and unable to walk far distances.
Initially, Robinson attempted to treat the bite himself using painkillers and Savlon, but his condition deteriorated rapidly.
The false widow is Britain's only native species of venomous spider (file photo)PAHe said: "I'm thinking I've disturbed a spider, and at some point, I got bitten. The stinging pain almost became unbearable at times until I was given stronger pain killers and antibiotics.
By the weekend of May 10, the pain had become too severe to manage at home, prompting him to seek medical attention.
At the hospital, doctors diagnosed him with cellulitis due to infection from the bite. He received a blood test and was put on a saline drip before being discharged with painkillers and antibiotics.
Despite receiving medical treatment, Robinson continues to suffer from the effects of the spider bite, saying: "I can work but I am not able to walk very far without intense pain in that leg for quite a while."
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A Noble False Widow (Steatoda Nobilis) spider (file pic)
PA
The bite has significantly impacted his daily life, forcing him to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle.
"Life at home is very sedentary at the moment. It's not easy to cope with being so immobile now and the pain can be relentless without the painkillers," Robinson added.
He expressed hope that he would never experience such an ordeal again, describing it as "a painful experience just from a spider bite here in the UK."
The false widow spider, known scientifically as Steatoda nobilis, is not native to Britain. Experts believe they arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s before gradually spreading northwards across the country.
According to a 2020 paper by Oxford University zoologist Clive Hambler, the noble false widow is "widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain."
Though the species has been present in the UK for more than a century, it remains controversial due to repeated reports of dangerous bites.
Researchers note that these spiders typically only attack when provoked, such as when trapped against someone's skin.
Following his ordeal, Robinson is now warning others to be cautious around false widow spiders."Avoid them - check all spiders in your house or outbuildings where they like to live and remove them if found," he advised.
He urged people to seek immediate medical attention if they suspect they've been bitten.
"If you catch a bite or suspect one then go to hospital and get it checked out the same day," he said.
