'Zoo poster' spins web of deceit
Posters claiming more than 30 "extremely aggressive and highly venomous" spiders have escaped in Oswestry are a hoax - it was revealed today.
The posters, purporting to be from Chester Zoo, claim a crate transporting Brazilian Wandering Spiders was damaged while travelling through the town, setting the spiders free.
The posters were reportedly put up around the town centre, but now appear to have been taken down.
Chester Zoo received numerous phone calls on Saturday from concerned members of the public - with one man fearing he had actually been bitten.
But Rachael Ashton, zoo spokeswoman, said it was a hoax. The zoo does not have any Brazilian Wandering Spiders and is not expecting any.
"The telephone number on the poster is a BUPA Wellness centre in London and they, too, have no knowledge of any such incident," she said.
Richard Ewels, police spokesman, said: "We have been informed about this by Chester Zoo. It appears to be false - an elaborate hoax. The zoo does not hold these type of spiders."
Anyone who saw the posters being put up or knows who might be responsible is asked to contact police on 08457 444 888.
Factfile:
The Brazilian Wandering Spider is extremely fast, venomous and aggressive.
It is regarded as one of the most dangerous spiders in the world.
The Brazilian Wandering Spider does not maintain a web, preferring to wander the jungle floor, which gives it its name.
It can grow up to 4in-5in.
Up to five people die each year around the world from bites from the spider - 14 people were killed in Brazil by bites from it between 1926-96.
It is also known as the banana spider, because it occasionally hides among bananas shipped to the USA.
Bridgwater chef Matthew Stevens was bitten twice by a Brazilian wandering spider which arrived at his pub in a crate of bananas. He survived, after his hand swelled "to the size of a balloon", when doctors flushed the poison out of his system.
By Suzanne Roberts
