British charity worker dies after being bitten by spider in Mexico

A Welsh charity worker has died in Mexico after she was bitten by a brown recluse spider.

Alison Lane, 54, passed away after suffering a heart attack as a result of septic shock following the bite.

She was living in Puebla and working as the director general of the Juconi charity which works with thousands of street children in Mexico and Peru.

12 of the world's deadliest spiders

On its Facebook page, Juconi Mexico wrote: "With deep sorrow we regret to inform that our General Director, Alison Lane, passed away this Saturday July 11, 2015 due to a medical complication after been hospitalized for several weeks.

"Together on a strong embrace of love, wishing hope and resignation, all of us that shared her life and work we commit, now more than ever, to continue her vision and to keep alive the work she led for 25 years in Fundación JUCONI, contributing to improve the lives of thousands of children and their families within and outside our country."

Wales Online reports that Alison, who grew up in Denbighshire and Conwy, was awarded an OBE for her tireless charity work.

The brown recluse spider, or fiddleback spider, has distinct violin markings on its back and is known for being shy and non-aggressive but has a powerful poison. They like dark corners inside houses and are found mostly in America's Midwest, west to Colorado and the New Mexico state line.

Earlier this week, UK holidaymakers were warned to be vigilant about poisonous spiders in the South of France.

The warning came after two women were hospitalised following bites by brown recluse spiders in Montpellier.

The spiders inject a venom that causes the death of skin cells, called necrosis, which sometimes has to be removed by surgeons to stop it from spreading.

Victims can develop a gangreonous ulcer that destroys soft tissue and can take months to heal.

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