GIANT house spiders are invading Essex homes as mating season begins.

An influx of giant house spiders have already crawled into the homes of unsuspecting householders and we'll be seeing a lot more of them in the weeks to come.

September will see a large quantity of males leaving their hiding places (yes they have been in your home all year) to seek a mate.

Gazette:

Their bite can penetrate human skin but its stinging venom is harmless to humans.

And with bodies that can measure up to three inches long, there's every chance you will see it first.

However, it only gets worse for arachnophobes, as these speedy creatures scurry at 1.18mph and once held the Guinness Book of Records top spider speed.

So good luck to budding exterminators, you are about to make some new friends this autumn!