A MAN who suffers from debilitating arachnophobia said today that Halloween could scare him to death.

John Stafford, 54, of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, claims he has such a bad fear of spiders that his doctor has told him even fright night displays in shop windows could give him a fatal heart attack because his heart is so badly bruised.

He told said he is so terrified of spotting one of the creepy crawlies that he is forced to stay indoors on Halloween.

Describing his reaction when he sees a spider, he said: "I stop breathing and pass out, its just terrifying."

Mr Stafford added that he had tried everything from hypnosis to pills to cure his lifelong fear but without success.

His wife Maria, 44, described the moment she feared for her husband's life after he saw some spiders in a shop window display, saying he passed out and slumped against her before she was able to bring him round.

She added: "I've known my husband since I was four years old and I dont want to bury him now."