A monstrous mollusc known as the Spanish ‘super slug’ is invading the North East, Newcastle University experts warned.
And it is believed the recent warm, wet weather has encouraged it to multiply rapidly.
Growing to more than 10cm in length, the carnivorous Spanish Slug far outweighs its English cousin and can produce hundreds more eggs, enabling it to reproduce at a far quicker rate.
The gigantic slugs are already a problem in other European countries such as Norway and have been known to reduce house prices in areas where the creatures are found.
Dr Gordon Port, lecturer at Newcastle University, researching environmentally friendly pest control, said: “The Spanish Slug seems to be very good at rapidly invading areas.
“One possible explanation for that is having come from a hot climate where a lot of the young slugs might die due to drought and heat, coming to a nice wet country, it’s actually thriving terrifically.
“Too many slugs can cause problems, not just for gardeners. In Austria, they have had incidents of car accidents because the numbers have built up on the road and formed this horrible slimy slick and cars have skidded off.”
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