A giant tarantula is on the loose in Leeds - and £100 reward on offer to find it

The Mexican Red Knee tarantula is on the loose in Leeds. Have you seen 'Jimmy'?

A GIANT tarantula is currently on the loose in Leeds - and a £100 reward has been offered to anyone brave enough to find him and safely return him to his owner.

An appeal was launched online on Saturday morning to find 'Jimmy', a pet Mexican Red Knee tarantula which broke free from his enclosure in a house in Cross Green and went on the loose.

The tarantula, which is roughly the 'size of the palm of a hand', is missing.

Bee Dot Ledge, who put out the appeal, said Jimmy was a Christmas present from his grandmother.

But he warned that the tarantula can bite if scared, so advised anyone picking up Jimmy to wear gloves.

He said: "My pet tarantula Jimmy went missing yesterday. He’s not in his tank anymore and I’ve searched my flat up and down and can't see him anywhere

"£100 for anyone who finds him my gran got me jim for Christmas so he’s really important.

"Wear gloves if you find him because he can bite if he is scared

"He doesn't really bite, he's chill, but obviously when defending himself he might.

"Please message me if you see him, I'm absolutley gutted."

He added that there is a safe way to handle the spider if found: "If he's not scared you should be able to pick him up, maybe put him in a shoe box or something or a big tupperware, cut holes in the lid if you wanna keep a lid on him."

Anyone who finds Jimmy can contact Bee Dot Ledge on Facebook and claim their £100 reward.