Spider bite: Mother-of-four rushed to hospital after bite swelled into a pus-filled boil and exploded Julie Roberts bitten by spider while watching TV in own living room Mrs Roberts on drip for three days in hospital as doctors fought venom Secretary from North Hull says she is now terrified of spiders Victim: Julie Roberts was watching TV in her living room when she was nipped by a spider A woman who was bitten by a house spider had to be rushed to hospital and drip-fed antibiotics after the bite festered into pus-filled blister - which then burst. Julie Roberts, 41, was watching TV in her living room at her home in North Hull when the spider - which she describes as pale and whitish - scuttled up and nipped her ankle. What started off as just a small spot swelled over the course of a few days into a golf-ball sized lump and her ankle became stiff and painful. The mother-of-four went to the doctors and got some antibiotics for the bite. But she decided to go to hospital after nearly a week had gone by, and blisters began to form around the bite. She was kept in hospital for three days as doctors battled against the spider's venom and the boil burst - twice. Mrs Roberts, a secretary, said: 'The doctor said it could have poisoned my blood. The whole thing was terrifying. I was struggling to walk and started to panic. The bite had become a huge bump and was leaking horrible yellow stuff. Mrs Roberts said she had never been scared of spiders and simply brushed the animal off her leg. 'It's unlucky to kill them,' she said. 'I can't believe something so little could cause so much damage. You expect to hear things like this in Australia or Africa, but not in England. Poison: Mrs Roberts went to hospital after her wound grew from a small bite mark to a huge blister over several days Burst: Mrs Roberts still has difficulty walking after the blister ruptured twice while she was in hospital It was a pale-whitish colour and had a really small body, but really long legs. 'A woman at pest control has since told me it could be a genus pholcus spider, but I don't know what kind it is, I hope I never see it again. 'I was in so much pain, I just couldn't believe such a little thing could have made me feel so ill. When I explained the injury the hospital admitted me straight away and put me on antibiotics through a drip. The phlocus phalangioides is commonly known as the cellar spider or skull spider Females have a body of about 9mm while males are slightly smaller, with legs five or six times the length of the body The species originally came from the subtropics and thrives inside houses because it cannot survive in the cold Their 0.25mm fangs can penetrate human skin, but usually only a mild burning sensation is felt But my bite then turned white and continued to grow and grow. Over three weeks later Mrs Roberts is still experiencing pain from the bitten ankle. 'At the moment it is healing quite well, but it has taken a long time, and it still hurts me,' she said. I will always have a scar on my ankle. And she admitted the experience has turned her into something of an arachnophobe. 'I'm terrified it could happen again,' she said. My little boy used to love picking up spiders and insects all over the place. 'Kameron is only five and I'm petrified he could get bitten. He's still only little and I dread to think what could happen. 'Now as soon as I get in the house I'm on spider watch, then before bed it is spider watch again. 'I haven't had a night's sleep since it happened.' Only 12 species of biting spider are known to be found in Britain. The UK's most dangerous spider is believed to be the steatoda nobilis - known as the false black widow spider - which can land grown men in hospital with its bite. Experts have warned of an increase in the numbers of the false black widow in recent years due to a run of milder winters. Venomous: Mrs Roberts believes a Pholcus phalangioides spider bit her leg