A giant tropical spider has been found hiding among the timber in a garden shed in Brighton.

Despite its spiky pincers and 5in legs, the creature failed to scare off curious postman Richard Allam when he spotted it while working in his lean-to in Lincoln Cottages.

Unable to identify it from a spider book, Mr Allam scooped it into a jam jar and took it to specialists at the Booth Museum in Dyke Road, Brighton.

The museum's keeper of natural sciences, Dr Gerald Legg, immediately recognised the creature as an ambylypygid, a tail-less whip spider.

Usually found in Africa, South America and South-East Asia, they are part of the arachnid family and have characteristics of scorpions and spiders.

Dr Legg said: "It's a mystery how this creature ended up in a lean-to in Brighton - we don't have a theory yet.

"The family had not been abroad recently, had not purchased any exotic timber or other products where it could have been, and they have lived in the property for ten years.

"I'm very impressed they caught it - whip spiders move like lightning.

"We've asked them to keep an eye open for any more. It's so amazing I'm tempted to go down and have a look myself."

Despite its daunting looks, Dr Legg insists the whip spider is not dangerous and lives on insects.

He said: "The front legs are long feelers, and the big, grasping pincers, or pedipalps, are similar to a scorpion's claw.

"We're giving it to a lady who looks after bugs and insects until it dies naturally. Then it will go on display in the museum."

Also given to the Booth museum recently was a whale's skull, discovered by fisherman Nick Brown in his nets three miles off Brighton Marina.

Mr Brown, who was fishing for plaice and Dover sole, said: "When I saw it in the trawl, I thought it was a dinosaur bone. I see dolphins and once saw a basking shark, but I haven't seen any whales."

Dr Legg believes the skull is from a young sei or fin whale.