Woman bitten by false widow while she slept

Sarah Lucie-Payne, of Ophir Road, Worthing, was bitten by the venomous spider during the night, while she slept, last Monday.

Initially dismissing it as a mosquito bite, Sarah continued with her life as usual.

As the bite began to blister and the pain worsened, Sarah turned to Google to research her symptoms. She then spoke with a friend who owns a tarantula who confirmed it was a false widow bite.

Sarah, 47, said: “It’s as if I’ve been branded with a red hot poker. It’s still sore now.”

For the full story, see the Worthing Herald, Thursday, December 11.