Northampton school will reopen again after 'suspected outbreak' of False Black Widow Spiders

A school in Northampton will reopen tomorrow (September 30) following its closure this week as a result of a suspected invasion of False Black Widow Spiders.The headteacher of Duston School, Sam Strickland, announced on the school's website yesterday (September 28) that the school had to close to all staff and pupils following the suspected outbreak "to allow the situation to be assessed and for the school to be cleaned."

Mr Strickland, this afternoon, announced an update on the decision regarding the re-opening of the school. He said: "Firstly I would like to thank you for your forbearance and patience following today’s school closure.

"I do not take closing the school lightly unless it is absolutely essential to do so. The health and safety of our community is rightly front and centre in decision making.

"The Local Authority, Amey and Ecolab have been on school site today, dealing with the situation at hand. They have been in regular contact throughout the day and have assured me that it is safe for the school to re-open tomorrow. Therefore, the school will be open as normal to all pupils tomorrow (Thursday 30th September) and follow the normal timings of the school day.

"I thank the overwhelming majority of parents and guardians for your continued support and understanding."

False Black Widow Spiders make uninvited appearances in many households across the UK, particularly during the Autumn time. According to the Natural History Museum, the only thing these spiders are likely to do is give you a small and relatively harmless bite, despite looking frightening similar to the more dangerous Black Widow Spiders.

If you do get bitten by a False Black Widow Spider, the only symptom is usually pain at the site, which will ordinarily last between one and 12 hours and rarely for more than 24 hours. The symptoms are usually no more painful than a wasp sting.

To read more about False Black Widow Spiders, visit the Natural History Museum website.