An arachnophobic mother said she was "freaked out" after finding two venomous spiders in her home.

Claudie Schaller, 56, of Dickens Close in Chigwell, was stunned to spot the Steatoda nobilis, commonly known a False Widow, in a laundry room.

But shock turned to horror the next day when the mother-of-three discovered a second False Widow in her bathroom.

False Widows are one of the few spiders whose bite can penetrate the skin, causing intense pain.

Mrs Schaller said: “When I first saw the spider I was quite aware that it was not ordinary. You could tell by the shape, colour and distinct markings.

“I looked online and was shocked when I discovered that it was a False Widow.

“It made it worse knowing that its bite was flesh eating, I was really freaked out.”

“I was nervous, shocked, I didn’t expect to find another one.

“Now I keep on checking in shoes and coats just in case there are more, I don’t want to be bitten.”

“I want to warn other people to keep an eye out. I can’t believe I have found two in my home.”

There are seven types of false widow found in the UK and Stuart Hine, an expert at the Natural History Museum, said they are very difficult to get rid of.

He said: “There is little you can do to eliminate this species from the outside of your home and garden.

“It would also be false economy to pay for remedial pest control as the spider will only recolonise from the immediate area and can do so surprisingly quickly.

“The best advice would be to be aware, learn how to distinguish this spider from other similar looking species and to remove any from your home, if you are inclined to.”