A 19-YEAR-OLD from Hexham was left screaming in terror after she spotted a viciously fanged spider crawling across her bed as she drifted off to sleep.

Millie Clark, an activities co-ordinator at Dukeshouse Wood, is convinced the creature is a specimen of one of the largest spiders found in Europe – the venomous tube web spider.

Distinctive because of their fangs, which can have a green shine, tube web spiders – or Segestria Florentina – deliver a bite which is as painful as a bee sting.

“I was lying in bed and saw something move out of the corner of my eye,” said Millie, who lives on Battle Hill with boyfriend, Andy Dunton.

“I jumped up and screamed, then I shouted for Andy. Luckily, there was an empty glass nearby and I managed to cover it up.”

Once Andy had disposed of the spider out of a nearby window, Millie began comparing pictures she’d taken of the insect with information about British spiders she found on line.

“I found a picture of a tube web spider and lots of articles about them appearing in large numbers in the South of the country, but nowhere near Hexham,” she said.

Tube web spiders are not native to Britain and probably first arrived on ships docking in port cities around 150 years ago.

They are more commonly found in Southern England but experts say the mild winter has allowed many spiders to breed and grow bigger than usual.

Millie said: “I’m terrified of spiders. The body on this one was probably about two centimetres across, but the unusual thing is it only had seven legs.”

She has also found distinctive tube-shaped webs, from which the spider gets its name, outside her window.

Most spiders found in Britain carry some sort of venom which is harmless to humans, explained Kevin O’ Hara, conservation officer with Northumberland Wildlife Trust. 

“Spiders like this may well look a bit intimidating but they could come in to the house from anywhere, including in your food shopping and end up on your fruit bowl.

“A lot of species are under-recorded in certain areas, but that doesn’t mean to say they’re not there, it’s just that no one has gone to look for them.

“What is affecting the number of species of wildlife we see and where we see them is the warmer, milder climate we’ve been experiencing.”