Frightened worker finds tarantula

Nick Kenworthy housed the spider in a laboratory tank

An arachnophobic lab worker faced his fears when a tarantula ran into his laboratory.

Nick Kenworthy, of Materials Technology in Lymington, Hampshire, normally deals with metal testing, and was "very afraid" of the 6in (15cm) spider.

The technical director, who caught the spider under a beer glass, said he did not know where it was from, but he re-homed it in a glass tank in the lab.

He later alerted the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA).

Mr Kenworthy said: "I've no idea how poisonous or how dangerous it could be."

He admitted he thought the tarantula was a fake at first, perhaps a student prank.

Most tarantulas are not harmful to humans, but a spokeswoman from the RSPCA said: "It's always best to call the RSPCA. Exotic animals are very different to finding a dog or a cat."