YOUNGSTERS had a lucky escape when the world’s deadliest spider made an appearance at their primary school.

The venomous creature was found nestling in a crate of bananas, which had been shipped from Cameroon, at Stokesley Community Primary School, in North Yorkshire.

As the drama unfolded last week, teachers realised the spider was guarding a nest of about 200 eggs.

It was not until after the arachnid had been safely shepherded into a margarine tub that it was identified, by an RSPCA expert, as the feared Brazilian wandering spider.

Headteacher Scott McFarlane described the incident as a “near miss”.

Mr McFarlane, 42, who is beginning his second year in charge of the school, which has 500 pupils, praised his staff for their handling of the situation.

He said: “During Thursday morning break, when the children were being given their bananas, the spider was spotted.

“This is being treated as a near miss, because the spider came within touching distance of some pupils. It was within a hand’s reach, so it has got to be taken seriously.

“After it was taken away, I got a call from an RSPCA expert, who told me how dangerous it was.

“My understanding is that it is the most venomous spider in the world. One bite from its huge fangs can be deadly, I understand.”

Mr McFarlane reported the incident to North Yorkshire County Council, the local education authority, which is investigating.

One academic yesterday cast doubt on the spider’s identity.

Dr Geoff Oxford, from the University of York’s biology department, whose work includes research on spiders, said: “I am not saying the RSPCA has got it wrong, but identifying spiders is tricky.”

The spider, light brown in colour, with black eyes and yellow spots, was taken away, along with its eggs, by RSPCA officials.

No one from the RSPCA was available for comment.

It is not clear how the South American spider came to be on a ship from Africa.

Mr McFarlane said: “My guess is that the boat had been carrying something from Brazil at some stage, and the spider crawled aboard then and made its way here.”

The Brazilian wandering spider’s venom is 30 times more powerful than that of a rattlesnake.

Since the Twenties, 14 people are thought to have died after being bitten by one.

* PICTURED ARE: Jonathan Shields, Rebecca Williams, James McCreath, Lucinda Cross, Thomas Tweddle and Jessica Hume.