Family on high alert after home is infested with venomous false widow spiders
Thousands of the highly-dangerous bugs are now feared to be running free in Essex
A TERRIFIED family has revealed how their home has been overrun by an infestation of vicious venomous spiders.
Thousands of false widows are now feared to be running loose after eggs hatched on the streets of Harlow, Essex.
The 50p-sized critters are the most lethal of the UK's 12 species and have in the past left victims fighting for their lives.
Parents have been warned not to let their children touch the spiders as they may bite, and can trigger allergic reactions causing chest pain, swelling and nausea.
Mum-of-three Toni Trevillion, who has a 10-year-old daughter and two sons, five and eight months old, said: "We first noticed them earlier in the week outside on the streets but the wet weather has brought them inside.
"They're running around mine and my neighbours houses, and constantly growing in numbers.
"I'm doing everything I can to stop them, using ant killer to destroy them as I've been advised by Environmental Health, but it's a much bigger problem.
"We need some real help as it's getting out of hand. The council say spiders aren't their problem but they must have teams of people who could come and sort this out within hours.
"It's worrying as a parent that my children could be bitten by them, and children have been seriously ill in the past from false widow bites.
";People need to know how serious this problem is."
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Full-time mum Toni, 29, has been putting up signs in her local area to advise of the danger the false widows pose after claiming Harlow Council refused to help.
The sign, which is littered with the words 'spider' and 'bite', reads: 'Confirmed False Widow Nest.
Running along the entire building. Harlow council AWARE, Not willing to treat. Please do not let your children touch the wall.'
A statement from Harlow Council said: "Where we have reports of false widow spiders we ask residents to safely collect a sample in a sealed container so we can arrange a test and carry out further research.
"Like many councils we don't offer a treatment service for controlling spiders but we will always help where we can and offer advice and guidance to residents."
The False Widow - Britain's most venomous spider
False widows are Britain's most venomous spider and are named for their physical resemblance to the deadly black widow spider, which is not found in the UK.
Millions of false widows, Britain's most venomous spider, have been found across the UK and the population is believed to be growing.
Also known as steatoda nobilis, the spider is frequently confused for the black widow, which has deadly venom.
The false widow was first spotted in the UK in Torquay, Devon, in 1879, and it is understood that it may have made its way to these shores from Madeira or the Canary Islands in a shipment of bananas.
The Natural History Museum says that warmer summers mean the spider is spreading northwards through the UK, having been found mainly in southern England.The spiders are distinctive for their shiny, black flesh, bulbous bodies, thick legs and skull-like patterns.
The species has a brown bulbous abdomen with cream markings that look like a skull. They have long legs and can reach about 15mm in size.
If you get bitten the first thing you should do is wash the area thoroughly with soap and water to prevent infection - and don't scratch, as if you break the skin there's more chance for bacteria to get in.
Cover bites with a plaster and apply an antihistamine sting cream to calm any inflammation or itching, says Stuart Hine, from the Natural History Museum's identification and advisory service.
Be alert to potential signs of infection, such as weeping blisters or painful swelling, that continue to get worse after a few days. If this happens, seek advice from your GP.
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