Latest news with #KeithRobinson
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Britain's most dangerous spider strikes in Hertfordshire: Man is left in 'unbearable' pain and struggling to walk after bite from noble false widow
A bite from 'Britain's most dangerous spider' has left a man in 'unbearable' pain and struggling to walk. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home. At first he tried to treat it himself using painkillers and savlon, but before long it became too much to bear and he went to the hospital. Now he's been diagnosed with cellulitis around the wound, and can only walk for short distances before 'intense pain' sets in. Mr Robinson, from Watford, Hertfordshire, believes a noble false widow was responsible. He said: 'It must be more than coincidence that I had removed a large number of cobwebs from the house by hoover. 'So I'm thinking that I've disturbed a spider, and at some point, I got bitten.' The bite, unnoticeable at first, only got worse as the days passed. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home He said: 'The stinging pain almost became unbearable at times until I was given stronger pain killers and antibiotics. 'The worst it got was the weekend of May 10. That's when I decided it was best to go to the hospital. 'Doctors diagnosed cellulitis due to infection of the bite. 'I was given a blood test and put on a saline drip, before I was released with painkillers and antibiotics.' The noble false widow is 'widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,' according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist. Known as Steatoda nobilis, they're not native to Britain and are thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s before slowly spreading northwards. Keith hadn't realised just how severe a spider bite could be in Britain. He said: 'I can work but I am not able to walk very far without intense pain in that leg for quite a while. The noble false widow is 'widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,' according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist 'Life at home is very sedentary at the moment. 'It's not easy to cope with being so immobile now and the pain can be relentless without the painkillers. 'I hope I never get bitten again – this has been a painful experience just from a spider bite here in the UK.' Now he's speaking out to warn others to be cautious around the noble false widow. He said: 'Avoid them – check all spiders in your house or outbuildings where they like to live and remove them if found. 'If you catch a bite or suspect one then go to hospital and get it checked out the same day.' ARACHNOPHOBIA IS IN OUR DNA Recent research has claimed that a fear of spiders is a survival trait written into our DNA. Dating back hundreds of thousands of years, the instinct to avoid arachnids developed as an evolutionary response to a dangerous threat, the academics suggest. It could mean that arachnophobia, one of the most crippling of phobias, represents a finely tuned survival instinct. And it could date back to early human evolution in Africa, where spiders with very strong venom have existed millions of years ago. Study leader Joshua New, of Columbia University in New York, said: 'A number of spider species with potent, vertebrate specific venoms populated Africa long before hominoids and have co-existed there for tens of millions of years.
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Horror bite from Britain's ‘most dangerous spider' leaves man struggling to walk & in ‘unbearable' pain
He's since urged Brits to go straight to hospital if they suspect they've been bitten ARACH ATTACK Horror bite from Britain's 'most dangerous spider' leaves man struggling to walk & in 'unbearable' pain A BITE from "Britain's most dangerous spider" has left a man in "unbearable" pain and struggling to walk. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home. 6 Keith Robinson developed a large inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home Credit: Credit: Pen News 6 He said the pain was unbearable Credit: Credit: Pen News 6 Keith said it's left him struggling to walk Credit: Credit: Pen News At first he tried to treat it himself using painkillers and Savlon, but before long it became too much to bear and he went to the hospital. Now he's been diagnosed with cellulitis around the wound, and can only walk for short distances before "intense pain" sets in. Keith, from Watford, Hertfordshire, believes a noble false widow was responsible. He said: "It must be more than coincidence that I had removed a large number of cobwebs from the house by hoover. "So I'm thinking that I've disturbed a spider, and at some point, I got bitten." The bite, unnoticeable at first, only got worse as the days passed. He said: "The stinging pain almost became unbearable at times until I was given stronger pain killers and antibiotics. "The worst it got was the weekend of May 10. That's when I decided it was best to go to the hospital. "Doctors diagnosed cellulitis due to infection of the bite. Giant huntsman spider lurking in his bunch of Aldi bananas "I was given a blood test and put on a saline drip, before I was released with painkillers and antibiotics." The noble false widow is "widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain," according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist. Known as Steatoda nobilis, the spiders are not native to Britain and are thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s before slowly spreading northwards. Keith hadn't realised just how severe a spider bite could be in Britain. He said: "I can work but I am not able to walk very far without intense pain in that leg for quite a while. "Life at home is very sedentary at the moment. How to spot a noble false widow These spiders are well distributed through southern England. This is how you can spot them: Abdomen markings: They have a narrow white or lighter band around the front of the abdomen towards their head, with other markings that vary by species. Abdomen shape: Females have shiny abdomens. Male abdomens are smaller and less rounded, but have clearer markings. Webs: Their webs are a tangle of criss-cross threads which may become quite dense in the centre if left undisturbed. "It's not easy to cope with being so immobile now and the pain can be relentless without the painkillers. "I hope I never get bitten again - this has been a painful experience just from a spider bite here in the UK." Now he's speaking out to warn others to be cautious around the noble false widow. He said: "Avoid them - check all spiders in your house or outbuildings where they like to live and remove them if found. "If you catch a bite or suspect one then go to hospital and get it checked out the same day." 6 Keith had to go to hospital to treat the bite Credit: Credit: Pen News 6 The noble false widow is thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands Credit: Credit: Pen News
The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Horror bite from Britain's ‘most dangerous spider' leaves man struggling to walk & in ‘unbearable' pain
A BITE from "Britain's most dangerous spider" has left a man in "unbearable" pain and struggling to walk. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, Advertisement 6 Keith Robinson developed a large inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home Credit: Credit: Pen News 6 He said the pain was unbearable Credit: Credit: Pen News 6 Keith said it's left him struggling to walk Credit: Credit: Pen News At first he tried to treat it himself using painkillers and Savlon, but before long it became too much to bear and he went to the hospital. Now he's been diagnosed with cellulitis around the wound, and can only walk for short distances before "intense pain" sets in. Keith, from Watford, Hertfordshire, believes a noble false widow was responsible. He said: "It must be more than coincidence that I had removed a large number of cobwebs from the house by hoover. Advertisement Read more on News "So I'm thinking that I've The bite, unnoticeable at first, only got worse as the days passed. He said: "The stinging pain almost became unbearable at times until I was given stronger pain killers and antibiotics. "The worst it got was the weekend of May 10. That's when I decided it was best to go to the hospital. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Live Blog Exclusive "Doctors diagnosed cellulitis due to infection of the bite. Giant huntsman spider lurking in his bunch of Aldi bananas "I was given a blood test and put on a saline drip, before I was released with painkillers and antibiotics." The noble false widow is "widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain," according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist. Known as Steatoda nobilis, the spiders are not native to Britain and are thought to have arrived from the Advertisement Keith hadn't realised just how severe a He said: "I can work but I am not able to walk very far without intense pain in that leg for quite a while. "Life at home is very sedentary at the moment. How to spot a noble false widow These spiders are well distributed through southern England. This is how you can spot them: Abdomen markings: They have a narrow white or lighter band around the front of the abdomen towards their head, with other markings that vary by species. Abdomen shape: Females have shiny abdomens. Male abdomens are smaller and less rounded, but have clearer markings. Webs : Their webs are a tangle of criss-cross threads which may become quite dense in the centre if left undisturbed. "It's not easy to cope with being so immobile now and the pain can be relentless without the painkillers. "I hope I never get bitten again - this has been a painful experience just from a spider bite here in the UK." Advertisement Now he's speaking out to warn others to be cautious around the noble false widow. He said: "Avoid them - check all spiders in your house or outbuildings where they like to live and remove them if found. "If you catch a bite or suspect one then go to hospital and get it checked out the same day." 6 Keith had to go to hospital to treat the bite Credit: Credit: Pen News Advertisement 6 The noble false widow is thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands Credit: Credit: Pen News 6 The man was put on a saline drip to help with the wound Credit: Credit: Pen News
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Horror bite from Britain's ‘most dangerous spider' leaves man struggling to walk & in ‘unbearable' pain
A BITE from "Britain's most dangerous spider" has left a man in "unbearable" pain and struggling to walk. Keith Robinson, 65, says he developed a large, angry inflammation on his leg shortly after clearing out cobwebs at home. 6 6 6 At first he tried to treat it himself using painkillers and Savlon, but before long it became too much to bear and he went to the hospital. Now he's been diagnosed with cellulitis around the wound, and can only walk for short distances before "intense pain" sets in. Keith, from Watford, Hertfordshire, believes a noble false widow was responsible. He said: "It must be more than coincidence that I had removed a large number of cobwebs from the house by hoover. "So I'm thinking that I've disturbed a spider, and at some point, I got bitten." The bite, unnoticeable at first, only got worse as the days passed. He said: "The stinging pain almost became unbearable at times until I was given stronger pain killers and antibiotics. "The worst it got was the weekend of May 10. That's when I decided it was best to go to the hospital. "Doctors diagnosed cellulitis due to infection of the bite. "I was given a blood test and put on a saline drip, before I was released with painkillers and antibiotics." The noble false widow is "widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain," according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist. Known as Steatoda nobilis, the spiders are not native to Britain and are thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s before slowly spreading northwards. Keith hadn't realised just how severe a spider bite could be in Britain. He said: "I can work but I am not able to walk very far without intense pain in that leg for quite a while. "Life at home is very sedentary at the moment. "It's not easy to cope with being so immobile now and the pain can be relentless without the painkillers. "I hope I never get bitten again - this has been a painful experience just from a spider bite here in the UK." Now he's speaking out to warn others to be cautious around the noble false widow. He said: "Avoid them - check all spiders in your house or outbuildings where they like to live and remove them if found. "If you catch a bite or suspect one then go to hospital and get it checked out the same day." 6 6 6
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
New stamps celebrate CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia
Royal Mail has revealed images of a new set of stamps being issued to celebrate The Chronicles of Narnia. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe – the first book in the series of seven fantasy novels written by CS Lewis. The Chronicles of Narnia is Lewis's best-selling work, having sold 120 million copies in 47 languages. The series has also been adapted for radio, television, the stage, film, and video games. The main set of eight stamps features pictures specially commissioned for Royal Mail by British illustrator Keith Robinson, depicting scenes from each of the novels. A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet, show artwork by Pauline Baynes. Royal Mail director of external affairs and policy David Gold said: 'These delightful stamps capture the timeless magic of Narnia and honour the enduring legacy of the books. 'The Chronicles of Narnia remain a perennial favourite of children around the world, so it is fitting that we celebrate the stories with a new set of stamps featuring newly-commissioned artwork alongside artwork that will bring back fond memories for many who grew up with these great books.'
