Spider Bite Leaves UK Man In 'Unbearable' Pain, Struggling To Walk

A 65-year-old man from Hertfordshire in the UK has been left in severe pain and unable to walk properly after what is suspected to be a bite from the UK's most venomous spider, the false widow, the Mirror reported. 

Keith Robinson, a resident of Watford, developed a painful swelling on his leg shortly after clearing cobwebs in his home. Initially dismissing it as minor, he treated the wound with over-the-counter ointment and painkillers. But as the pain worsened and became "almost unbearable," he sought medical help.

Doctors diagnosed him with cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection, believed to have been triggered by the spider bite. Robinson was put on antibiotics and a saline drip before being discharged from the hospital.

"I can barely walk without intense pain setting in," he said, describing the bite as a "relentless" and "painful experience" that left him largely immobile.

Robinson believes he may have been bitten while cleaning, possibly after disturbing a nest of false widow spiders - an invasive species originally from the Canary Islands that has spread across Britain since the 19th century.

The noble false widow (Steatoda nobilis) is considered the most dangerous spider in the UK, though bites are rare and usually not fatal. However, they can cause serious complications if untreated.

Urging caution, Robinson now wants others to be vigilant: "Check for spiders in your home and outbuildings. If you suspect a bite, don't ignore it; get it checked at the hospital immediately."