A man taken to Basingstoke hospital almost lost his leg after being bitten by a spider.

Antony Mayne was left needing surgery on his leg after he developed a serious infection from the bite.

The self employed roofer from Beenham is now recovering but doctors are potentially planning for more surgery in a few days.

As reported in Newbury Today, Antony has been told there is still the potential that he could lose his leg.

The 32-year-old was rushed to Basingstoke hospital last week after the bite on his right shin began to show signs of a serious infection.

The family want others to be vigilant and take care if they are bitten now that we are in spider mating season.

From the beginning of September to mid October it is likely we will see a peak in the number of large, spiders crawling through our houses.

This is because the male giant house spider also know as Eratigena Atrica will be on the hunt for a female to mate with.

Whilst it is not known what species Mr Mayne was bitten by, it is thought it could be a cupboard or false widow spider.

In the UK, there are more than 650 different species of spider - and all of them can bite, although only 12 can cause any harm to humans. 

The British Arachnological Society say if you are bitten, don't panic.

They advise that very few species of spider in Britain have been known to bite and cause any problem.

Professor Adam Hart, entomologist at the University of Gloucestershire, is urging people not to kill spiders.

He said: "They are harmless and aren't aggressive we are definitely more of a threat to them than they are to us that's for sure.

“They are great predators and natural pest controllers, they play their part in the great ecology out there.

“The best way to get rid of them is the old cup and card trick.

“You need to be careful if you pick them up to get rid of them because they can give you a bit of a nip and you can also damage them of course.”

As these 8-legged creepy crawlies love neglected areas of the house the best way to keep them out is to regularly clean and keep windows close.