AN outbreak of giant creepycrawlies has taken over the Life Science Centre, in Newcastle, setting up home among the centre's exhibits.

Visitors are being warned to be on their guard against tarantulas, scorpions, wasps and other creepy-crawlies.

The exhibition, Return of the Monster Creepy Crawlies, will open on Saturday and features giant insects including 6ft scorpions, spiders the size of humans, enormous mosquitoes, ladybirds and butterflies.

Visitors will also be able to take a close look at live specimens and examine how their bodies are built.

The display also includes 14 animatronic insect models, interactive displays and a discovery workshop.

Among the models are a praying mantis, a giant wood ant tearing at grubs, a greenbottle fly lapping at its lunch, a scorpion lunging to attack and a ladybird chasing its dinner up the stem of a rose.

As well as the interactive exhibits, there will be hands-on areas, including Bugs and Home, which features a replica kitchen area showing the bugs that live in the average home.

Life Science Centre director Linda Conlon said: "Return of the Monster Creepy Crawlies is our biggest event to date.

"It is designed to capture the imagination of people of all ages.

"The exhibition is both exciting and educational for children of all ages."

The exhibition will be at the museum until the end of August.