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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Shock as deadly black widow found | Shock as deadly black widow found |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A deadly black widow spider gave a woman working for a home removal firm a fright when she found the creature wrapped in a hose pipe. | A deadly black widow spider gave a woman working for a home removal firm a fright when she found the creature wrapped in a hose pipe. |
| The North American stowaway had spent a month on a container ship before ending up near Presteigne in Powys. | The North American stowaway had spent a month on a container ship before ending up near Presteigne in Powys. |
| Workers for the removal company were unwrapping Mike and Trish Newman's possessions following their return to the UK from San Francisco. | Workers for the removal company were unwrapping Mike and Trish Newman's possessions following their return to the UK from San Francisco. |
| The spider is now being cared for by an exotic pets specialist in Newport. | The spider is now being cared for by an exotic pets specialist in Newport. |
| Black widows are one of the most poisonous spiders in the world, although their bites are rarely fatal. | Black widows are one of the most poisonous spiders in the world, although their bites are rarely fatal. |
| The spider was found in the village of Kinnerton, near Presteigne, on Monday and was placed in a jam jar for safety. | The spider was found in the village of Kinnerton, near Presteigne, on Monday and was placed in a jam jar for safety. |
| Jam jar | Jam jar |
| Mr and Mrs Newman had returned to the UK after spending five years in San Francisco. | Mr and Mrs Newman had returned to the UK after spending five years in San Francisco. |
| Mr Newman, 53, who is originally from Merthyr Tydfil, said: "The woman from the removal firm was very calm to be fair. | Mr Newman, 53, who is originally from Merthyr Tydfil, said: "The woman from the removal firm was very calm to be fair. |
| "I had wrapped the hose pipe before we left America and I probably would have taken more care had I known what was lurking inside. | "I had wrapped the hose pipe before we left America and I probably would have taken more care had I known what was lurking inside. |
| "During our time in the US we'd never seen a black widow, although living there for some time we had made ourselves aware of what one looked like. | "During our time in the US we'd never seen a black widow, although living there for some time we had made ourselves aware of what one looked like. |
| "We knew straight away it was a black widow." | "We knew straight away it was a black widow." |
| Mrs Newman, 58, said she phoned the Department for the Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defra) to ask for advice. | Mrs Newman, 58, said she phoned the Department for the Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defra) to ask for advice. |
| "We placed the spider in a jam jar for safekeeping and Defra put us in touch with an exotic pet specialist in Newport," she added. | "We placed the spider in a jam jar for safekeeping and Defra put us in touch with an exotic pet specialist in Newport," she added. |
| Peter Heathcote, an approved exotic animal handler who runs Budget Vets in Newport, has given the spider a temporary home. | Peter Heathcote, an approved exotic animal handler who runs Budget Vets in Newport, has given the spider a temporary home. |
| He is also due to examine what is thought to be the black widow's egg sack, which could contain up to 700 of her eggs. | |
| Mr Heathcote said: "She's a very hungry little thing at the moment and a little grumpy. | Mr Heathcote said: "She's a very hungry little thing at the moment and a little grumpy. |
| "She's covered in a bit of web so she probably survived on flies and insects during the month on the container ship. | "She's covered in a bit of web so she probably survived on flies and insects during the month on the container ship. |
| "She'll stay in the UK and we're moving her to the Reptile Zone in Bristol tomorrow." | "She'll stay in the UK and we're moving her to the Reptile Zone in Bristol tomorrow." |
| The spider is thought to be one year old and is expected to live for five years. | The spider is thought to be one year old and is expected to live for five years. |