ONE of the world's most dangerous spiders has been discovered at a North-East factory.

Workers found the black widow in a shipment of machinery parts from Mexico, which came into the plant on the Team Valley Industrial Estate, at Gateshead.

The young female was handed to insect expert Michael Mann, who lives in Witton Gilbert, County Durham, and collects spiders from around the globe.

Mr Mann said: "Although it was not fully developed, it could still pack a punch if it bit you.

"Black widows do come into Britain from time to time, in fruit boxes and the like, and a couple of years ago one was discovered in a garage in Northumberland."

Black widows, of which there are six species, can be found in most of the warmer regions of the world, including North and Central America and Australia.

Only females, which can grow to 1.5 in long and can live for three years, are dangerous, and although hundreds of people worldwide are bitten every year, most live to tell the tale