There is a possibility of a colony of the spiders living nearby

They stumbled across the male purse-web spider (Atypus affinis) while collecting bugs for a school experiment.

Zoologists at Oxford University say the creature is so scarce, few are seen in the wild.

The spiders, usually found in undisturbed grassland or open heathland, have fangs, prey on insects and measure 9mm to 12mm long.

'Possibility of colony'

Pupils at 68 Oxfordshire schools were asked by zoologists at the university to set sticky traps each month to catch bugs around their school, and return them for analysis.

The purse-web, found by pupils at Goring Primary School, is the only UK species similar to the giant bird-eating spiders of South America.

Dr George McGavin, the Oxford zoologist who leads the schools project, said: "I cannot imagine he would have wandered very far so there is a definite possibility that a colony of these fascinating spiders is living not too far away."

The specimen will be now added to the museum's collections and Dr McGavin will return to Goring to look for the colony.