Dozens of the animal kingdom's most dangerous creatures are to take up residence in a corner of Cheshire.

They will be occupying a new attraction called Venom at the Blue Planet Aquarium near Ellesmere Port and include everything from black widow spiders and venomous lionfish to stinging jellyfish and vipers. Among a series of new displays is Tarantula Tower, where visitors will be able to step inside a perspex tower surrounded by more than 50 giant spiders. Venom will be divided into three sections featuring marine creatures, spiders and insects, and reptiles.

Other displays will be home to stonefish, considered to be one of the world's most lethal fish; venomous vipers including the eyelash viper and the white lipped tree viper; scorpions; giant tarantulas; golden web spinning spiders and assassin bugs. The new feature contains so many potentially dangerous creatures that staff at the aquarium have had to undergo emergency first aid training, bring in anti-venom kits and wear special protective clothing. Blue Planet's Paul Reynolds said: "Venom will contain one of the highest concentrations of venoms, toxins and poisons anywhere in the UK."

Pic: Furry and potentially fatal, an Orange Baboon Tarantula