A fitness enthusiast who spent six months in Australia meticulously avoiding spiders has been left stunned after being bitten by one in a UK gym just days after returning home.
Irony of the Unexpected Bite
Jess Wade, 27, from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, had been terrified of encountering deadly spiders during her half-year working holiday in Perth, Western Australia. She researched extensively on prevention methods, following advice to shake out shoes, bring washing indoors, and wear gloves while gardening. Accompanied by her boyfriend Aaron Aseltine, also 27, she successfully avoided any arachnid encounters throughout their sun-soaked adventure, spotting nothing more threatening than a single lizard.
The Shocking Gym Incident
Just eighteen days after landing back in the United Kingdom in June 2025, Jess visited her local gym. While using a leg curl machine, she felt a sharp, stabbing pain on her right rib. Reaching under her close-fitting jacket, she retrieved what she described as a 'horrific-looking' curled-up spider before flinging it to the floor and capturing a photograph.
A staff member informed her that this was the second such incident at the facility, with a previous victim requiring treatment at Accident and Emergency. A subsequent pharmacy visit confirmed the culprit as a false widow spider, and Jess was prescribed antihistamine cream to soothe the bite area.
Concerning Symptoms Develop
The following day, Jess began experiencing flu-like symptoms alongside 'shooting' pins and needles sensations down the entire right side of her body. These alarming effects persisted for three days before subsiding. When the swelling reduced, two clear puncture marks approximately a finger's width apart became visible.
Jess reflected on the bizarre turn of events, stating: "The irony is I did six months in Australia, including out in the bush, and it was in a gym in the West Midlands that I was bitten by a spider." She described the spider as slightly larger than a 50p piece with distinctive colouring, spindly, and hairy legs reminiscent of Australian species.
Pre-Trip Anxiety and Post-Bite Vigilance
Before departing for Australia in January 2025, friends had repeatedly warned Jess about the country's notorious spiders and snakes, with some questioning her sanity for visiting. This prompted her thorough research into deadly spiders and preventative measures.
Now back in the UK, the experience has made Jess more vigilant about checking for spiders during everyday activities. She theorised the spider might have been on the back of the gym chair before crawling down into her jacket, feeling threatened and biting when trapped by her movements.
"The fact they can be found in everyday activities, something as mundane as going to the gym, means it's important for people to be a bit more vigilant and aware of how to treat bites," Jess advised. "In hindsight I can smile about it. If anything I kick myself because I spent a lot of time worrying and hyper-aware of spiders in Australia. I just wish I hadn't let that interfere with my experience."
