spider school closure branded 'ridiculous' - Telegraph.co.uk

One mother, whose son attends Dean Academy, said she thought authorities had overreacted, creating unnecessary panic.

"The stories have been sort of quite hysteria, mass panic. By the time the children had come out yesterday, students had had their legs bitten off, one had a hole in their hand. It's not good at all," said Samantha Golding.

Experts say the Steodata nobilis, a species of the false widow, are becoming more common in the UK and are the most dangerous of the 12 species of biting spiders known in Britain.

The spider's bite may sting, but has not been known to cause deaths.

Source: APTN