WHEN Kevin and Nicola Hudson bought some grapes from the supermarket they had no idea that they came with a rather hairy and unexpected eight-legged visitor.

WHEN Kevin and Nicola Hudson bought some grapes from the supermarket they had no idea that they came with a rather hairy and unexpected eight-legged visitor.

For, lurking within the bag - purchased from Asda in Stowmarket - was a tarantula, originally identified as a Chilean Blonde.

Mr Hudson, who lives in Warren Close, Elmswell, with his wife and their three children Joshua, 14, Danny, 11, and Rhys, four, caught the beast and kept it in a plastic container until he could find out what species it was.

He said: “It'd been in the fridge for two days so I was quite surprised it was still alive to be honest. My little boy wanted some grapes and I was washing them for him when it crawled out.

“I was a little bit shocked but fortunately I'm not too bothered by spiders - although if it had been my wife instead of me then it would have been a different story!”

The 40-year-old commercial director with Taylor Made Joinery tried for several days to get the creepy crawly identified - eventually taking it to his local vets.

The tarantula was collected by Colin White, owner of Abbey Reptiles and Abbey Aquatics which is based at Stonham Barns.

He said: “It's a tarantula. At first we thought it might be a Chilean Blonde but now that it is eating and has filled out a bit we're not sure because there are some markings on its back.

“When we first got it was very skinny and didn't look well but now that it is eating again it is growing nicely.”

A spokeswoman for Asda said they take matters like this extremely seriously and would be investigating.