A computer expert is living in fear of the web - after discovering he shares his home with this massive SPIDER.
IT technician Darren Driscoll decided to investigate after spotting a creepy funnel-shaped cobweb on the outside of his house.
As the dad-of-three poked his stick inside a huge, green-fanged spider came charging out to defend its nest.
Scared Darren leapt back and retreated indoors - but fears the eight-legged fiend could follow him inside when the weather turns cold and it looks for place to mate.
As the pictures above show the spiders have been spotted in Exeter over the last few weeks.
Darren filmed his chilling encounter and reckons his home invader is a segestria fiorentina, known as the tube-web spider.
The scary spiders sow distinctive tube-shaped webs in cracks and holes and wait by the entrance for prey to touch the strands.
Their bites are non-fatal but can cause a sharp injection-like pain lasting for hours.
They first entered the UK 150 years ago from continental Europe, arriving on ships docking in ports such as Plymouth, Devon, where Darren lives.
Although the fearsome-looking spiders are still an unusual sight experts warn the long, hot summer is helping them thrive.
Spooked Darren said: "I first noticed the web at the beginning of August, but it was much smaller then.
"I decided to tease it out so I got a piece of grass and poked the outside of its web.
"It instantly charged out to grab the piece of grass. It is a really aggressive little thing, no fear at all.
"By the look of it I would say it had more than doubled in size from when I first saw it two months ago.
"I think it is a tube-web spider, and I was surprised to hear it has such a painful bite, like being stabbed with a nail.
"It's something I'd like to avoid, lets put it that way.
Darren, who is married but separated from his wife, said: "I'm not worried about getting bitten right now as it's quite out the way.
"But if it heads inside for the winter then I might be in trouble."
Tube-web spiders are one of the largest spiders in Europe and are nocturnal hunters that prey on cockroaches, moths, bees and wasps.
Females are larger than males and can reach a body length of up to 22mm.
Kelvin Boot, a naturalist and former BBC radio presenter, said the tube web-spider might look scary but it's not dangerous to humans.
He said: "It bites in defence so if you pick one up, or it gets caught in your clothing, you are likely to be nipped. But no British spider delivers a fatal bite or even one dangerous to humans.
"It seems this spider was accidentally introduced into UK from its native Mediterranean and North Africa.
"It sits at the mouth of its tunnel in old brickwork or behind loose bark or any other suitable hole, waiting for a hapless insect to stumble across the spokes - tripwires that alert the spider to its victim.
"Once detected, the spider moves like lightning. I defy anybody not to jump when this happens as it is such a surprise even if you are expecting it.
"The prey is dragged back into the narrow tube and eventually the spider's venom overcomes the prey."
The sighting comes as experts warn UK householders to expect an invasion of giant spiders this winter.
Rising temperatures and easier access to food has seen the creepy crawlies grow bigger than ever.
