Woman discovers scorpion in groceries

• Tweet

DUMFRIES, Scotland, March 17 (UPI) -- A Scottish woman said she was unpacking groceries when she discovered a live scorpion had made its way into her bag.

Amanda Johnstone, of Dumfries said the scorpion was about 3 inches long, The Sun reported Sunday.

The scorpion got knocked to the floor and started making its way toward Johnstone's 6-year-old son Ross and her elderly mother Gloria, who leaped out of its way.

"Ross started shouting, 'Scorpion, scorpion!' I saw it and I was like, 'Oh my god, this is a bloody scorpion'. Mum's just had her knees replaced. I've never seen her move so fast -- the op definitely worked. I was absolutely terrified. I thought they were all poisonous," Johnstone said.

In the end, Johnstone's nephew Aaron, 29, captured the creature in a pint glass and an animal rescue officer came and picked it up.

The creature was later identified as a North American desert hairy scorpion, which is non-lethal.

"Desert hairy scorpions aren't deadly but if bitten the pain can vary from that of a bee-sting to intense inflammation and sickness," said animal rescue officer Tricia Smith.