FALSE widow spiders are giving residents nightmares after moving into a block of flats.

About seven of the venomous arachnids have built cobwebs near both entrances to 18 council flats in Anson Chase, Shoebury, leaving tenants with pets and young children afraid to leave their homes.

Southend Council has refused to clear the spiders, which have a nasty bite, similar to a wasp or bee sting.

Tenant Richard Zanone, 40, said: “I’m scared of being bitten. I heard a bloke almost lost his leg after being bitten.

“It’s a nightmare.”

Mr Zanone’s younger brother Tullio, 36, will now only leave the flat they share with a heavy hooded coat and hat for fear of a bite and his four-year-old staffie Diesel is missing regular walks as a result.

South Essex Homes, which maintains the flats, says it has no reports about the problem.

A spokesman added: “We can confirm the communal stairwell is cleaned once a week by our estate services team and extra efforts are made to clear away cobwebs.

"However, at this time of time year cobwebs are more common and spiders do recolonise quickly.”