A terrified woman called in experts after finding a tarantula the “size of her hand” in a cupboard at home — only to discover it was a PLASTIC TOY.
The spooked out unnamed mother spotted the eight-legged creature in the understairs cupboard while cleaning it out.
In a panic, she called the RSPCA, who sent an inspector round to her home equipped with gloves and nets – only to shine a light and discover it was plastic.
And after telling the woman this, the toy was presented to her young son who confirmed with an “angelic, innocent face” that it was his.
RSPCA inspector Nikki Denham said she rushed to the address in Alresford, Hants last Thursday (July 20) as she prepared herself to collect the tarantula.
She said: “The caller had stated there was a tarantula the size of her hand in the understairs cupboard.
“She had left it in there not touching it and called us for assistance.
“I turned up with gloves and nets to confine the creature and the woman left me to it, shutting doors around me to prevent its escape.
“It was dark under the stairs but I could see legs behind a vacuum cleaner that certainly were tarantula size, however as I shone light in I could see that it was in fact a toy plastic tarantula.”
She added: “The poor caller was obviously embarrassed, but it won’t be the first or last call we’ll have like that I’m sure.”