Has one of the world's deadliest spiders been found in Britain? 'Funnel web' spotted outside a garden shed in Gloucester



One of the deadliest spiders in the world has been captured on camera in the wild in Britain - outside a garden shed in Goucester.

Les Fryer, 71, saw a highly poisonous funnel-web - the first time the species has ever been found in Britain.

The pensioner spotted the killer arachnid after visiting his garden shed to get his lawn mower and wife's bicycle.

Creepy crawly: Video taken by Les Fryer from Brockworth of what he believes is a deadly funnel web spider in his back garden

He saw the 1.5in creepy crawly - which can kill humans - near the shed door and immediately and ran to grab his video camera.

Les took a five minute film which shows the jet black spider with distinctive white strips on its upper legs preying on a hummingbird hawk moth.

He also found a four inch web in the shed floor - which is the distinctive funnel shape.

Experts are using the video to try and identify the spider and say the funnel web has never been found in Britain before.

Grandfather-of eight Les, a retired shepherd, said: 'It's terrifying to think I was so close to what could have been such a poisonous spider.

'It was the middle of the day and to begin with I just thought it was a leaf. When I saw it was starting to move I was less than one metre away from it.

Les, 71, had the presence of mind to get his video camera and document the odd looking spider outside his garden shed The funnel web spider is native to Australia and has long fangs which deliver a venomous bite

'I'd never seen anything like it. I dashed into the house to get my camera. It apparently burrows beneath logs and stones so it could have been under my shed for ages.

'I've been in and out of there getting my lawn mower and my wife's bike. I've got an old jacket and a pair of gloves in there which I regularly use.

'When I was a shepherd I was once stung by a hornet which crept into my glove so I know what a sting feels like.'



The funnel web-spider is native to Australia and has long fangs which deliver a venomous bite.

It can grow to around two inches in length and males are easy to provoke and can launch a ferocious attack.

Figures show at least 15 people have died after encounters with one of these spiders over the past 60 years.

Experts say if it is a funnel web it is the first found in Britain - and could be an escaped pet.

Spider expert Mark Bushell, assistant curator of invertebrates at Bristol Zoo Gardens, says it could be a tube spider.

He said: 'A tube web spider is common across Europe and has a similar web to a funnel web spider.