A tiny spider has created a setback for a £3.5 billion UK theme park, after both the BBC and ITV pulled out of its plans.
The London Resort, which is set to open in Swanscombe in Kent, had planned to have both broadcasters onboard so it could feature rides inspired by hit shows such as Doctor Who, Sherlock and Thunderbirds.
However, plans for the park have been met with a backlash by nature lovers who are concerned about the impact it may have on the distinguished jumping spider - a critically endangered species that measures just 1cm and lives on land near where the proposed park would be built.
Last November the area was declared a site of special interest due to its variety of wildlife, the Mail Online reports.
Natural England has said more than 1,700 invertebrate species call the area home - including a quarter of the UK’s water beetles.
Nature-loving group Save Swanscombe Peninsula urged the BBC to rethink its support of the park.
Following the pressure from campaigners, BBC and ITV have both now announced they are no longer in commercial agreements with the park.
A spokesperson from the BBC told the MailOnline: “BBC Studios has no commercial agreement in place with London Resort and no current plans to enter into any agreement.
“We would only consider doing so should there be clear and decisive evidence that the project would have a net positive environmental impact.”
While an ITV spokesperson said: “ITV's arrangement with the London Resort was that we were a potential licensor of one of our children's brands, which was Thunderbirds.
“We can confirm that ITV no longer has a commercial arrangement with London Resort as the agreement has now ended. This means that Thunderbirds will not be a part of the park.”
Buglife - an insect charity - welcomed the decision, with chief executive Matt Shardlow telling the MailOnline: “The theme of this wildlife oasis is nature and it must remain so.
“We welcome ITV's full recognition of the environmental harm this misplaced theme park would cause.”
The London Resort’s plans reveal it would be split into six different themed areas, including a sci-fi zone and a fairytale land; there would also be three hotels and a water park.
A spokesperson for The London Resort said: “Nobody ever said major infrastructure projects were easy or quick. We look forward to delivering the first top tier theme park for the UK.”
Huntsman spiders may be more often associated with the balmy climes of Australia, but one created quite the scare when it unexpectedly popped up in Hull.
Huntsmans are the largest spiders in the world by leg span, and can be as big as a dinner plate, according to LiveScience.
They’re generally found in tropical, warm regions, but one decided to treat itself to a cheeky trip to Blighty – arriving on Friday, much to the surprise of those who found it.
The RSPCA shared a photo of the insect on Twitter, saying it had jumped onto a shipping container in China.
The charity confirmed it had been safely collected by one of its inspectors, and that it is now taking it easy at a rescue centre.
“Insp Boyd collected this Huntsman spider today,” the RSPCA said.
“He fancied a holiday so he hopped on a shipping container in China and ended up in Hull!
“He gave staff quite a fright! He’s now having some R&R at a specialist rescue centre.”
One person retweeted the photo with a shocked emoji, while another joked: “Lucky spider, I wonder what he’ll make of Hull?”
According to Radar Pest Control, based in Queensland, Australia, huntsman spiders have a ‘strong’ bite, which can prove painful and even lead to heart palpitations.
However, the huge spider is usually ‘quite harmless’, the company explains, saying on its website: “Huntsman spiders will bite humans if disturbed. They have a strong bite and may hold on for a time. Bites may be painful, but they usually do not cause any long term complications. If someone has asthma or is sensitive to the venom, they may experience more pronounced effects.
“Symptoms from huntsman spider bites may include: local swelling, pain, nausea, headaches, vomiting, irregular pulse rate, and sometimes even heart palpitations.”
If you find you’ve been bitten by one, Radar Pest Control says it’s important ‘not to panic’.
It adds: “It may be quite frightening to come across a spider that big, but huntsman spiders are not out to hurt you. They do a wonderful job eating your unwanted insects and pests, so the best thing to do is leave them alone.
“If you find one in your home or shed, you can carefully scoop the spider into a container and release it outside, away from your home.”
Of course, if you find one in the UK, you’re best off calling the RSPCA to see if Inspector Boyd fancies popping round to sort it out for you.
Incredible New Inflatable Theme Park Is Opening In The UK
An inflatable theme park is set to open in the UK in the next couple of weeks and believe us when we say this, it looks incredible.
Because let's be honest, what adult doesn't seriously miss those hours of fun spent on bouncy castles and trampolines? Well, all of that childhood fun could be relived very soon.
Jumpin Fun - the brains behind the inflatable haven - has announced its new and third site which will be unveiling itself in Medway City Estate, Strood, Kent.
According to Kent Live, the South East's 'first inflatable theme park' will offer 16,000 square feet of inflatable fun with a café and spectators' viewing gallery.
A giant ball pit should also be expected, as well as dedicated toddler SEN and home ED sessions along with party rooms which will offer birthday experiences.
According to Jumpin Fun, the inflatable theme park is for 'just about anyone of any age' so any age groups are more than welcome to get involved amongst the fun and games.
But of course, the theme parks are an absolute hit with kids, with one happy parent writing: "Took my three year old and 12 year old today, they loved it so much they didn’t want to go.
"Unlike a trampoline place where my kids get bored half way through, Jumpin kept them entertained throughout the whole hour!"
The inflatable playgrounds also offer obstacle courses, football matches with marshalls, giant wipe out walls, balance beams, huge slides and airbags.
Where do we sign up??
Jumpin Fun currently has 3 sites across the UK, with inflatable parks operating in Burgess Hill, Sailsbury and Derby.
While an exact opening date is yet to be confirmed for the upcoming Kent park, Heart has reported that it is due to welcome its first customers as early as February, so locals should certainly be keeping their eyes peeled.
Speaking of our trusty UK theme parks, a huge £300 million indoor theme park is set to open in Blackpool.
Plans for the mega attraction, which will house three indoor theme parks, a food hall and swanky holiday apartments, were given the green light by councillors back in October.
According to reports, work is set to start on the heritage quarter site next year and will take a staggering 10 years to complete.
So, if you don't fancy waiting 10 years for Blackpool's indoor theme park, you now know exactly where to go for your inflatable playground needs.
Venomous Spider Discovered Eating Bats In The UK For The First Time Ever
A venomous spider has been found in the UK for the first time, after it was spotted eating bats.
The noble false widow spider was found by wildlife artist Ben Waddams at his home in north Shropshire, where it was feeding on the guts of a protected species of bat.
Over the course of two days, bats that were living in Waddams’ attic became entangled in the noble false widow’s web - one of which was a baby bat that ended up shrivelled and discoloured after the spider feasted on its innards.
Another bat caught in the web was much larger and managed to survive the incident - eventually being rescued and released.
The findings have been shared in a new study - titled Webslinger Versus Dark Knight - published by scientists from the National University of Ireland Galway in the international journal Ecosphere.
Dr John Dunbar, Irish research council post-doctoral fellow at the venom systems lab, and lead author of the study, said: “In more exotic parts of the world, scientists have been documenting such predation events by spiders on small vertebrates for many years, but we are only beginning to realise just how common these events occur.
“Now that this alien species has become well established in Ireland and the UK, we are witnessing such fascinating events on our very own doorstep.
“Even other, much smaller, species of false widows are known to capture and feed on snakes and lizards. This study presents yet another example of the invasive impact by the noble false widow on native species.
"We know they are much more competitive than native spiders, and this further confirms their impact on prey species.”
He added: “Although the spider is present in Ireland for over 20 years, we don’t know how impactful it is on the environment and the ecosystem in terms of competing with native spiders or impact on native prey species.
“That’s important as we are starting to get a better idea and understanding on what prey it can manage.
“In this case, bats being vertebrate, the spider’s venom possess a powerful neurotoxin and this enables this to take down vertebrate prey.
“It makes them much more competitive than the native spiders.
“Some of the studies show that the venom of the noble false widow is significantly more potent than the native spiders.”
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