Newcastle mum with fear of spiders booked Uber and asked driver to get rid of it
Zoe Rebecca was beside herself with fear when she spotted a spider in the hallway of her Great Park home
by Alethea Farline, David Huntley · ChronicleLiveA Newcastle mum who has a fear of spiders booked an Uber and asked the driver to get rid of it because she was so terrified.
Zoe Rebecca was beside herself with fear when she spotted a spider in the hallway of her Great Park home and begged her friends to come and help out. But as none were free, the 28-year-old ordered an Uber out of "sheer panic".
Zoe, who works as a nurse, booked the Uber to take her to a nearby supermarket but when it arrived at her home, she told the driver she needed him to get rid of the spider.
Zoe said: "I can't get near a spider without retching. One time, I retched so loudly my son thought I was dying. I called an Uber out of sheer panic and asked it to take me to the local supermarket.
"It was £4.96 but when he got here I told him that I didn't need a lift but wanted him to get rid of a spider. He thought I was joking but agreed to do it when he realised I was serious. He was a legend and said he would cancel the job so I didn't have to pay but I still did. I gave him a £5 tip so he made a tenner out of it. It was worth the money.
"I have seen him in Morrisons since and ran away in embarrassment. I was with my ex for 10 years and he got all the spiders and I think the biggest mistake in leaving him was not having anyone here to catch the spiders so I'll have to download Tinder."
Zoe also resorted to posting in her local Facebook group in a bid to recruit neighbours to remove a huge spider she'd spotted in her shower. On that occasion a complete stranger came round to help get rid of the insect.
She said: "There was a giant spider in my bathroom and no-one was around so I had posted on Facebook to ask neighbours to get rid of it and offered them a bottle of wine. I had to wait 16 minutes for the post to be approved on the local page and I considered calling another Uber.
"It was £10.66 but it would have been worth it. Thankfully, it was approved and a lovely lady came round. We lost the spider so the bathroom is now barricaded up and out of use.
"I'm having to use a neighbour's home to shower. I just know if I get in to have a wash it'll appear. It's legs are so big I bet it could rival Tom Daley while swimming so I won't take any chances.
"I used to live opposite a garage and I would grab the lads from there and give them ice cream for helping me. People who can stomach spiders are elite members of society who we need to protect at all costs."
The mum-of-one says has been terrified of the insects since she lived in a spider-infested home as a child. She added: "I have always been scared of them. I grew up in a council house in Gateshead where there were spiders everywhere.
"My mam had to put our food in Tupperware boxes as spiders would roam the cupboards and get in our food. I would be in bed and a spider would run across it. It was horrendous. I can't sleep if I know a spider is on the loose. You always hear 'they are more scared of you than them' but that isn't true - we are definitely more scared."
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