A wasp spider has been recorded in Cheshire for the first time, with experts saying it signals a "broader, more worrying trend".

The large yellow-and-black spider was spotted during a biodiversity survey of Chester Zoo's estate and has been confirmed as the first recorded sighting of the species in Cheshire.

Nicknamed 'Wendy' by the zoo team, the spider is among a number of species whose ranges are moving northwards as they respond to a changing climate.

Confirmed by an expert from the British Arachnological Society, the discovery made by Chester Zoo conservationists was officially announced yesterday.

Rosie Cooper, estate biodiversity assistant, who made the discovery, said: "I was looking out for plant species and then I saw this big, stripy, brightly coloured spider.

"I have what you might call a healthy respect for spiders, so my first thought was 'woah!' But now I think it's really cool to have found her."

Ruby Merriman, Chester Zoo's Estate Biodiversity Manager, described the wasp spider as a "beautiful and fascinating species."

"Recording a wasp spider in Cheshire for the first time is really exciting," she said.

She explained that the species is slowly moving north as their southern ranges in Europe warm too quickly for them to adapt. Some conservation organisations refer to animals driven to migrate by climate change as 'climate refugees'.

"They are moving because of human activity, and we need to make space for them," she added.

Wendy's arrival in Cheshire is part of a "broader, more worrying trend", according to Scott Wilson, head of field programmes at Chester Zoo.

He said: "We are witnessing the impacts of climate change in real time, from droughts in Chile to floods in Indonesia. It is a major threat to biodiversity.

"There is a causal link between habitat loss and climate change, and both are already driving species to extinction.

"European spiders are among many species finding it harder to persist in their traditional ranges as the climate shifts.

"Wendy is a reminder UK biodiversity is not immune to this."

Chester Zoo's wider estate, which spans 205 hectares, includes wet meadows, ponds, reedbeds, species-rich grasslands, woodlands, orchards and hedgerows, supporting a wide range of wildlife.