A FAMILY had a fright in Witney when they spotted a cluster of poisonous false widow spiders lurking in a crack in their conservatory.

The uninvited lodgers, largely referred to as Britain's most venomous species of spider, have been known to inflict bites on humans leading to amputations.

Janet Bradbury and husband 'Brad' Bradbury discovered eight of the critters in a crevice at their home in Moorland Road - three of which have gone missing. 

She said: "We saw legs hanging out of the crack. I'm not normally frightened of spiders but we read about them and they can give a nasty bite. 

"I'm not bothered about them, I think they're quite happy in that corner. I keep on the lookout every day to see if they'll come out. I've noticed there are less flies in the conservatory. We did see a bumble bee go in there and they were fighting one another."

The spiders, which she described as "distinctive, black and big and bulbous", are often mistaken for the deadly black widow spider found in tropical countries.

Mrs Bradbury, 75, who also shares her home with her son and grandson, said she tried and failed to vacuum the nest to coax them out. 

The mum-of-three said: "The web is not like an ordinary cobweb. It's very thick and strong and sticky, it was like treacle."

The family have managed to catch two of the baby spiders in a jar, but three big ones continue to skulk in the shadows.

A further three small ones appear to have gone on a walkabout, having vacated the nest.

She said her daughter and granddaughter, who live nearby, are "frightened to death" of the spiders and fear they will lay eggs.