A British man had the fright of his life when he returned from Mexico and found a tarantula in his suitcase.

James Mugridge, 31, discovered the terrifying arachnid - thought to be a Mexican red rump - after spending two weeks in jungle hotels.

The huge spider is known to be docile and its bite is not considered overly dangerous to people.

But James didn’t know that and says he shouted when he saw the furry legs emerging from his jeans.

Peeling back the fold with chopsticks, he discovered the tarantula was already dead.

It’s believed to have frozen in the plane’s hold.