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| False widow spider outbreak shuts Forest of Dean school | False widow spider outbreak shuts Forest of Dean school |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A school has been forced to close because of an outbreak of Britain's most venomous spider. | A school has been forced to close because of an outbreak of Britain's most venomous spider. |
| The Dean Academy, in the Forest of Dean, said it "had identified an issue with false widow spiders" in its ICT block and other areas of the site. | The Dean Academy, in the Forest of Dean, said it "had identified an issue with false widow spiders" in its ICT block and other areas of the site. |
| A letter from vice principal Craig Burns to parents said the school would be shut on Wednesday to be fumigated. | A letter from vice principal Craig Burns to parents said the school would be shut on Wednesday to be fumigated. |
| Conservationists believe a change in the climate could be the cause of an increase in sightings of the species. | Conservationists believe a change in the climate could be the cause of an increase in sightings of the species. |
| 'No bite reports' | |
| In the letter, Mr Burns said the school had taken immediate pest control advice on discovery of the spiders. | |
| Initially the decision was taken to close the ICT block, but further discoveries of the species elsewhere have led to a full school closure. | |
| "This will enable pest control to fumigate every area in the academy and ensure everyone's health and safety," Mr Burns wrote. | |
| "There have been no reports of anyone being bitten by the false widow spiders at the academy but if you have any concerns please seek medical advice." | |
| The school is expected to be open as normal on Thursday. | |
| The false widow (Steatoda nobilis) is about the size of a 50p coin and is the most dangerous of the 12 species of biting spider known in Britain. | |
| There have been no reported deaths from its bite in the UK. | |
| Symptoms can include severe swelling, chest pains and tingling of fingers, with the severity depending on the amount of venom injected. |