Guest with a sting in its tail

The owners of the rural guest house, just outside Amesbury, received a rude awakening after discovering a venomous scorpion lurking on the stairs early one morning.

The couple first mistook the inch-an-a-half-long, poisonous creature for a curled-up leaf but closer inspection uncovered the scorpion.

Without delay, the RSPCA was called and inspector Will Hendry rescued the arachnid, which was believed to have arrived in the suitcase of man travelling from the Gulf.

Inspector Hendry said: "The owner of the B&B did exactly the right thing by confining the scorpion and not touching it.

"Scorpions can give nasty sting or even wound someone more dangerously with their curved tails, so it is wise to be cautious when dealing with them. Sometimes when we get calls about scorpions, they actually turn out to be large beetles called Devil's Coach Horses, which can bear a partial resemblance to a scorpion because the tip of their abdomen curls up and around when they feel threatened.

"However, there is no doubt that this scorpion was the real thing."

RSPCA spokeswoman Lucy Clark said: "Scorpions live in arid areas, including the Middle East and Africa, so the creature has probably travelled an incredibly long way."

All scorpions are venomous but some are more potent than others. Unfortunately, the scorpion died before it could be identified.