Dream holiday ruined by spider bite

A British tourist has had the holiday of a lifetime ruined after being bitten by a Brown Recluse spider while in Cancun, Mexico.

Rob Harris and his girlfriend Tina Higginson were in Cancun, having celebrated a friend's wedding. Cage fighter Rob felt something bite his leg, but thought it was a mosquito bite.

The alarm was only raised when the couple spotted a spider on the floor, and Miss Higginson insisted her boyfriend seek medical attention. "I started to react really quickly," said Rob. "Within hours my knee had ballooned… like it had been inflated with a pump."

Mr Harris started to worry about the cost of medical treatment abroad, despite having travel insurance. "We heard horror stories about hospital stays on our trip, and while we had insurance you often have to pay thousands up front," he said.

Doctors insisted Rob was not allowed to fly home, and the couple's return to Britain was delayed while medics prescribed antibiotics and attempted to treat the bite.

Rob's treatment continued once he had returned home, and it took over a month before he was fully recovered.

Understandably, the ordeal has only strengthened his fear of creepy-crawlies. "Anything with more than four legs and I'm not really interested," he said. "Even less so now."

If you have suffered an accident abroad, call our lawyers to see if you have a claim. You can speak to us on 0203 206 1134 or email mf@broadgatelegal.co.uk and we will get back to you.

Broadgate Legal

London Personal Injury Solicitors