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| Spider-bite Malvern man to lose part of finger | Spider-bite Malvern man to lose part of finger |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man who was bitten by a spider as he slept is to have part of his finger amputated. | A man who was bitten by a spider as he slept is to have part of his finger amputated. |
| Derek Phillips, from Malvern, was woken by a "throbbing pain" in his left index finger and spent five days in Worcester Hospital - including a spell in the isolation ward. | Derek Phillips, from Malvern, was woken by a "throbbing pain" in his left index finger and spent five days in Worcester Hospital - including a spell in the isolation ward. |
| Doctors said the 82-year-old was bitten by a venomous spider, but non-poisonous bites can get infected, experts said. | |
| "I would love them to take it off, it's so damn painful," said Mr Phillips. | "I would love them to take it off, it's so damn painful," said Mr Phillips. |
| 'Oozing gash' | 'Oozing gash' |
| He is due to have surgery at Kidderminster Hospital on Monday. | He is due to have surgery at Kidderminster Hospital on Monday. |
| "I think they were hoping the top of the finger was going to drop off on its own but it's gone on long enough," his wife Pam said. | "I think they were hoping the top of the finger was going to drop off on its own but it's gone on long enough," his wife Pam said. |
| Mr Phillips said he first had surgery soon after the bite seven weeks ago. | Mr Phillips said he first had surgery soon after the bite seven weeks ago. |
| Hear Mr Phillips' story on BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester | Hear Mr Phillips' story on BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester |
| "There was a great big gash that was oozing horrible stuff. | "There was a great big gash that was oozing horrible stuff. |
| "They said it was some kind of widow spider which have become more prevalent - because we've had such mild winters they are not getting killed off." | "They said it was some kind of widow spider which have become more prevalent - because we've had such mild winters they are not getting killed off." |
| Nigel Cane-Honeysett, head of the Shropshire spider group said: "There aren't any spiders that are native to this country that cause that kind of injury. | Nigel Cane-Honeysett, head of the Shropshire spider group said: "There aren't any spiders that are native to this country that cause that kind of injury. |
| "It could be a foreign spider, which would be unusual, or a bite from a non-venomous spider could have become infected. | "It could be a foreign spider, which would be unusual, or a bite from a non-venomous spider could have become infected. |
| "There's been a lot of stories about the false widow spider but this does not cause a corrosive injury." | "There's been a lot of stories about the false widow spider but this does not cause a corrosive injury." |