Boy, 11, bitten by false widow spider left 'delusional' and 'unable to stand up'
A school boy was rushed to hospital with a temperature and feeling like “his skin would split” after a bite from Britain’s most dangerous spider.
Matthew from Surrey complained to his mum on Christmas Day of discomfort in his leg - but mum Sarah just thought her son had a graze. But two days later, the 11-year-old was "delusional", couldn’t support his own weight, and needed hospital treatment.
Sarah said the family, from Surrey, got an unwanted gift at Christmas when Matthew was bitten on the back of the leg by a noble false widow. “He was bitten on Christmas Day night at the back of his leg – his calf, she said. “It wasn't immediately obvious what it was but he said his leg was sore. I looked and it literally looked just like a little graze.
“On Boxing Day, he said it still hurt so I had another look and a small scab was forming so I put some inadine on to it to prevent infection. The next day he was unable to walk or weight-bear. He was delusional and had a temperature of 39.7C, his leg was red and cellulitis had began to form. I rushed him to hospital.”
Upon arrival at hospital medics warned Sarah her son might need surgery to have the venom removed from his leg. The schoolboy was started on a course of intravenous antibiotics and his condition was monitored carefully.
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The next day Matthew was allowed home after responding to the treatment but he was put on a course of eight tablets a day to treat his spider bite. Sarah, who asked that their full names be withheld, said: “It will take a couple of weeks to clear up, possibly more.
Matthew's bire resembled a small graze at first but it became worse over time (Credit: Pen News)“My son said his leg felt like the skin was going to split because of the poison underneath. He doesn’t have much memory of the day it spread as his temperature was so high. I was concerned he had sepsis which is why I rushed him to hospital.”
Matthew’s parents believe he must have been bitten in bed, as it’d be the only place he wouldn’t be wearing trousers. Now they’re speaking out to warn others to beware of the invasive species.
Sarah said: “If I can give any advice it would be to check clothing and beds. Check any outbuildings as they are normally found in garages and sheds – also check crevices as they are quite small. The false widow spider has a marking on its back/shell similar to a skull.”
His mum didn't think anythin of it at first, but later Matthew was rushed to hospital (Credit: Pen News)She continued: “Although we can now see the puncture marks they weren't visible when it happened. It looked like a graze with a shiny appearance that looked a bit wet. If you find a nest of these spiders then please call someone to help get rid.”
The noble false widow is “widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,” according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist.
However they’re unlikely to attack unless provoked or trapped between clothes and skin.
The species – known as Steatoda nobilis – is not native to Britain and is thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s, according to the Wildlife Trusts.
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