Invasive Chinese mitten crabs spotted in the UK

The Chinese mitten crab was seen alongside waterways in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

An invasive species of crab has been spotted crawling around the waterways of Britain.

The Chinese mitten crab, a native of East Asia, was seen alongside waterways in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Peterborough resident Stuart Selby saw one crossing a busy road and described the sight as “bizarre”.

It comes as Londoners refused to use the London Underground after bed bugs were spotted on its Victoria Line following a “super bed bug” infestation in Paris, France.

The crabs live in rivers, canals and estuaries, and can damage river banks, compete with native species, block water outlets and damage fishing gear with their claws, according to the Natural History Museum.

The mitten crabs live in rivers, canals and estuaries (Richard Bailey/BBC)

The first mitten crab was recorded in the River Thames near Chelsea, London, in 1935. The species, which have furry claws resembling mittens, had become well-established in Britain by the 1990s, research shows.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to release or allow the species to escape into the wild in Britain.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it received reports of the crab in Cambridgeshire and it encouraged people to report sightings to stop the movement of their eggs.

A spokesperson said: ‘The species was considered to be established in the Thames in 1973 and since then it has been found in other riverine systems within the UK.

‘In the UK, there is no legal fishery for the species; if a Chinese mitten crab is caught as a by-catch, they cannot be sold live for human consumption.’

The species can damage river banks and fishing gear (Richard Bailey/BBC)

Last week, a “widespread” outbreak of bed bugs caused panic and disgust in Paris. The alarm quickly spread to London, where bed bugs were spotted on the London Underground.

With a lifespan of 4-6 months, it is possible the bugs could make the 2hr 16min trip between Paris to London.

One bedbug expert from Bed Bugs Ltd, based in London, said the creatures are already in Britain but could increase in numbers with the Paris epidemic.