You may help to lessen your aversion to spiders if you get up close and personal to the ones outside. Orb web spiders are quite beautiful close up and they're not going to get you, and I like looking at those little khaki garden spiders that dash around on the soil in me veg plot. I think that part of the issue with indoor spiders is the shock of suddenly seeing one in the sink or bath, or scurrying across the carpet. Several UK spiders can nip you, but never badly, and I rationalised away my fear of spiders by telling myself that the fact I'll be eaten alive by horse flies every time I go outside in summer doesn't stop me from venturing out!

I've just ordered a pamphlet guide to UK house and garden spiders for £3.30 from Amazon (amusingly, written by a bloke called Lawrence Bee). I'll let you know!