Spider bite puts Edinburgh student in hospital

A student spent a night in hospital after being bitten by a spider during her first week at university.

Bronwyn Gray's spider bite. Picture: HeMedia

Bronwyn Gray, 18, woke up with a small spot on her right arm after one of her first nights in her new halls of residence.

She then developed a cough and first thought she had picked up a bout of ‘student flu’ - but the spot started growing.

Angry red lines started spreading from it and Bronwyn went to a chemist who gave her antiseptic.

Bronwyn Gray. Picture: HeMedia

After a week she went home to recuperate but her condition got worse and she was taken to hospital.

Bronwyn, a student at Edinburgh Napier University, was kept in overnight and told to return for several more check-ups to make sure the venom had not spread.

She told The Tab student website: “I had a wee spot on my arm and then it started growing and then lines started coming out of it.

“I went to the chemist and they gave me an antiseptic, but I ended in hospital after a week.

“Then they told me it was a spider bite. I was really freaked out.

“I was really freaked out. I thought it was just freshers’ flu - I had a cough, but apart from that I was fine.”

Bronwyn, a social sciences student from Paisley, was bitten as she slept in Bainfield Halls of Residence in Edinburgh.

She said medics were unsure what type of spider had bitten her.

She added: “It’s getting better now, but I’m gutted I don’t have super spidey powers.

“My mates were really freaked out as well, they’d never seen anything like it.”

Earlier this week the Evening News reported how giant spiders are set to invade city homes this winter, after being fattened up during the warmer summer.