Nobody panic, but spiders the size of mice are invading homes in Macclesfield

Even if you're OK with normal spiders, you might not relish the prospect of an eight-legged houseguest the same size as a rodent.

Unluckily for people in the Cheshire town of Macclesfield, giant spiders as big as mice have invaded houses as they look for places to lay hundreds of eggs, according to a report.

The wet summer has caused a boom in the population of giant house spiders, which measure up to seven inches long.

While they like dark places, the spiders are relatively friendly and not adverse to coming out in the open.

Chris Ayre, a spider expert, told i:

Giant house spiders are the golden retrievers of the spider world, because they are much less shy than their relatives.

They have a bite that has been compared to a bee sting, but they are usually unable to pierce human skin.

Nick Oldham took a photograph of one spider that he said was about seven inches across.

"These things are seriously big. Imagine the horror on my son's face when the spotted this big boy on his wall," he said.

So what to do if your home becomes a giant spider lovenest of choice?

Male spiders are attracted by the females' silk, so clearing away cobwebs can help ward them off.

A reason for a spring clean if we ever heard one.

More: That incredibly gross spider-in-ear video was thankfully, thankfully, a big old fake