One of the most lethal spiders on the planet was hanging out in a UK supermarket fruit aisle, a shopper claims.
The Brazilian wandering spider is one of only a few species of spider known to represent a serious threat to humans.
The potentially deadly arachnid is found in tropical regions of South America and was allegedly been spotted at a Tesco in Eastbourne, East Sussex, reports Daily Star.
Customer Adam Shepherd claims he discovered a cocoon with a "spider's leg coming out” stuck to a bunch of bananas at the supermarket’s Lottbridge branch.
Adam took a photo of what appears to be the deadly stowaway before, he said, he handed the contaminated bunch of bananas to staff for disposal.
Adam then shared the photo to Facebook, where users identified it as a Brazilian wandering spider, or banana spider.
While many commenters were petrified by the idea of a venomous spider in the fruit and veg department, Adam was pretty laid back about it.
"I wasn't really that shocked as I used to work produce for Tesco and I've seen it quite a few times,” he told the Brighton Argus.
"No idea what kind it was but it was definitely a brown colour
"You can just about see its leg coming out."
A banana spider bite can cause high blood pressure, sweating, and in men, an uncontrollable and painful erection.
In 2005, a Somerset chef was bitten by one which had stowed away in a crate of bananas and found its way to the Quantock Gateway pub in Bridgwater.
Matthew Stevens told The Times: "It was hiding in a cloth and when I squeezed the cloth it bit me. It was about as big as the palm of my hand.
“I went to try and pick it up and it bit me again. It landed in the freezer, which stunned it."
But while the spider was out for the count, it had left Matthew in quite a state: "I thought I wasn’t going to make it. My chest was so tight I could hardly breathe. My blood pressure was going through the roof and my heart was beating so hard I could feel it hitting my chest.
“The doctors didn’t know what type of spider it was, but I’d got a picture of it on my phone and they sent it to Bristol Zoo to identify it.”
Matthew pulled through, and was sent home the following day. Defra inspectors later found the spider “in a state of suspended animation" in the pub’s fridge.
In response a Tesco spokesperson said: “We have robust processes in places to prevent insects travelling with our fruit and vegetables.
“On very rare occasions they can sometimes sneak through our suppliers’ checks, and when this happens we’re always happy to provide the customer with a full refund or replacement item.”
