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| Spider outbreak school in Forest of Dean defends closure | Spider outbreak school in Forest of Dean defends closure |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Staff at a school in Gloucestershire that became infested with venomous spiders have denied they overreacted by closing for a day. | Staff at a school in Gloucestershire that became infested with venomous spiders have denied they overreacted by closing for a day. |
| Pest controllers were called in to fumigate The Dean Academy in the Forest of Dean on Wednesday after false widow spiders were found earlier in the week. | Pest controllers were called in to fumigate The Dean Academy in the Forest of Dean on Wednesday after false widow spiders were found earlier in the week. |
| Some people have criticised the closure, saying the creature's bite is not serious. | Some people have criticised the closure, saying the creature's bite is not serious. |
| A spokesman said the school had taken advice from environmental health. | A spokesman said the school had taken advice from environmental health. |
| Finger tingling | Finger tingling |
| The school's education adviser, Phil Lomax, said: "We haven't overreacted at all. | The school's education adviser, Phil Lomax, said: "We haven't overreacted at all. |
| "When there's infestation of any kind in a school building it's important to take careful consideration of risk to health and well-being. | |
| "In this particular case, with the advice from environmental health, a quick fumigation allowing the fumes to clear and [get] back to normal was the best solution. | "In this particular case, with the advice from environmental health, a quick fumigation allowing the fumes to clear and [get] back to normal was the best solution. |
| "You can't actually know whether some students may be more susceptible to bites, stings from wasps, spiders or any other [bugs] either, so I think we've taken a balanced view here in the best interests of students." | "You can't actually know whether some students may be more susceptible to bites, stings from wasps, spiders or any other [bugs] either, so I think we've taken a balanced view here in the best interests of students." |
| Some parents told the BBC they thought it had been wrong for the whole school to be shut while the problem was dealt with. | Some parents told the BBC they thought it had been wrong for the whole school to be shut while the problem was dealt with. |
| Entomologist Steven Falk said: "[The noble false widow] has got a toxic bite but the bite is on a par with a honey-bee sting. | |
| "They're nowhere near as dangerous as the media is making out, so we're a little bit surprised [that the school was closed]." | "They're nowhere near as dangerous as the media is making out, so we're a little bit surprised [that the school was closed]." |
| There were no reports of anyone being bitten by the arachnids, and the school reopened as normal on Thursday after Wednesday's fumigation. | There were no reports of anyone being bitten by the arachnids, and the school reopened as normal on Thursday after Wednesday's fumigation. |
| The false widow (Steatoda nobilis) is about the size of a 50p coin and is the most venomous of the dozen or so species of biting spider known in Britain. | The false widow (Steatoda nobilis) is about the size of a 50p coin and is the most venomous of the dozen or so species of biting spider known in Britain. |
| Its bite can cause severe swelling, chest pains and tingling of fingers. | Its bite can cause severe swelling, chest pains and tingling of fingers. |
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