Experts have revealed they had to remove and destroy a number of deadly spiders from a vacant house in Carlow.

The National Exotic Animal Sanctuary was contacted by a man who had bought them online and left them behind after he moved.

Spokesman Kevin Cunningham said: "We had to go in with the expert, catalogue the species and have the potentially lethal ones destroyed."

"The man had bought the spiders over the internet and had them delivered and this is a growing problem we are seeing here."

There were 100 in the house which had to be catalogued, including a number of black widow and funnel-web spiders.

The NEAS is calling for new laws to crack down on the number of dangerous creatures being bought online.

Mr. Cunningham added: "The Government needs to look at this problem now as more and more exotic animals become available."