HAMPSHIRE is one of the worst areas in the county for people being bitten by the venomous false widow spiders.

Statistics show that 159 people suffered bites between 2014 and 2018 in Hampshire – the seventh worst place in the country – as experts are warning the threat from false widows is higher than ever before.

Just this week, the Gazette’s sister paper the Southampton Echo reported that a dad was left barely able to walk after suffering bites from false widow spiders, which had infested the staircase of a tower block he lives in.

The 26-year-old father-of-three said he was “scared” for his children’s safety after the spiders bit him five times.

According to experts, more spiders are set to come inside our homes this autumn because of the wet weather.

The rain throughout August has triggered a premature mating season, encouraging spiders indoors to find a mate.

They’ve spent most of the summer gorging on all the lovely flies, moths and other insects, becoming sexually mature in the meantime. And now they are ready to act on it.

The number of false widow spiders in particular is said to be soaring, as milder winters have allowed them to survive and breed in more places around Britain.

Although most people bitten by these creatures will simply feel stinging and see some redness and swelling on the affected area, others can suffer a severe allergic reaction or the bite can become infected.

There have been cases in the country where people have died after being bitten by a false widow.

However, there are various ways to help keep the spiders out of your home.

Brush away messy cobwebs from outside your house, and keep watch inside your home for places where they might create a web, such as cracks in walls.

If their webs are destroyed, they are less likely to return.

Other suggestions for keeping spiders away include placing conkers around the home, using essential oils or spraying vinegar. Let us know if you have any tricks to keep spiders out of the home.