The summer may be over but only last week one startled Epsom resident discovered a family of eight-legged invaders had set up ‘right outside’ his grandsons’ bedroom.
ARACHNOPHOBES: BEWARE A SPIDER VIDEO BELOW:
Phil Hewett, of Ruxley Lane, Epsom, first noticed the distinctive funnel-shaped webs under the eaves of a garden shed, ‘less than a metre’ from where Archie Smith, five, and Henry Hewett, three, sleep when they visit.
Mr Hewett, 64, believes the beasts were either venomous funnel-web spiders, which have been spotted in the UK before, or the closely-related tube-web spiders.
The semi-retired builder said: "When we disturbed the webs these huge spiders with massive fangs dropped out.
"I think they’d freak out a lot of people - they are big and very aggressive. Their fangs look like they’d hurt a lot if you were bitten and they have very powerful legs.
Mr Hewett disposed of the spiders by luring them out with a mixture of peppermint oil and water, before killing them.
He said: "I know animal lovers would say I should have got rid of them a different way, but I didn’t want them running off and scaring anyone else.
"I think they might have given someone else a much bigger shock."
This video shows a funnel spider in Australian bath
Have you had a creepy crawly invasion? Comment below or get in touch at ben.weich@london.newsquest.co.uk
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