A HUGE tube web spider which preys on the much-feared false widow species was found in a Warminster house last week to the shock of the homeowner.

Care assistant Suzanne Tardivel, of Portway Lane, was painting her living room when the large tube web spider, also known as the Segestria Florentina, suddenly appeared.

She said: “I was decorating my living room when I noticed a pigeon sat on the balcony above.

“To try and get rid of it, I tapped on the sliding doors and then I heard a thud.

“I looked down and that’s when I saw the spider – I had never seen anything like it before, I knew straight away it wasn’t a common house spider.

“I was too scared to go near it so it has taken centre stage on the balcony for a while, occasionally moving away before heading back to the same spot.

“It also has a burrow in a hole in the wall near the balcony which he goes in from time to time – I think it’s in there now. I’m not sure if it has a nest in there but I’m quite nervous about it.

“I’m always expecting to see big spiders inside the house now.

“Luckily my two daughters aren’t scared of them – unless they start running.”

Tube web spiders can deliver a bite which causes pain for a few hours, reportedly similar to receiving an injection, but the venom has no lasting effect.

While they can be found in places as far away as Georgia, they are also sometimes spotted in places such as Bristol, Dover and Southampton, where it is believed they are introduced via ships.

The tube web spider is one of the largest arachnid species in the UK and they are known for eating their own mothers.

They have been confused with the deadly funnel web spider in the past as the two species use similar hunting techniques and are similar in appearance.