ANOTHER thread has been spun in the web of intrigue surrounding the mysterious tarantula handed in to Torquay police.

Exotic pet owner Anouska Young read about the plight of abandoned Harry the Spider in Thursday's Herald Express and declared: "I think he's mine."

And, coincidentally, the name the police gave their furry acquisition just happened to be the one she had 'christened' him with as a spiderling nearly two years ago.

She revealed that her Chilean Rose spider was left with a friend in Crownhill Park, Chelston, 14 months ago while she moved homes in Plymouth.

But the pal accidentally mislaid it — and it was never seen again until a member of the public found it abandoned in a lunchbox on a wall in nearby Newton Road on freezing Tuesday night.

For the moment Harry is being cared for by Paignton Zoo's reptile staff, who are nursing him back to health after his night out in the cold.

Anouska was due to visit the zoo today to see if their Harry was her Harry.

A spokesman said the zoo would keep Harry for a few days to see if there were any other claimants.

Their initial plan, before Anouska came forward, was to keep him for breeding purposes.

Anouska said: "I'm pretty sure it's my Harry. When he was lost he was the size of a 50p piece. I couldn't believe it when I read the story in the paper. It's too much of a coincidence for it not to be him."

She added: "It's bizarre that the police gave him the same name that I did. It's got to be my Harry."