Man gets fright from spider, accidentally drives his car into a lake

A driver has had a lucky escape when his car ended up in a lake on the Mid North Coast after he found a huntsman on him.

The man had been spring cleaning his house and was on the way to the rubbish tip at Lake Cathie on Monday morning when the accident happened.

Wolf spiders are moving in to Kathy Holmes' house after Lake Menindee's rising waters displaced them from their traps.

He saw the spider as he drove around a bend in the road and panicked, the Camden Haven Courier reported.

"I meant to hit the brake but instead I accidentally hit the accelerator," he said.

Instead of navigating the bend, the Toyota Prado went over the bank of Lake Cathie and ended up in the water where it started to sink.

"I was surprised at how deep it was," the driver said.

He said he couldn't get his door open as it was locked but managed to exit through his window, which was three-quarters open.

No one else was in the car.

Paramedics treated the man for minor injuries.

Two NSW Rural Fire Service vehicles and one Fire and Rescue NSW vehicle were also in attendance.

The recovery of the car is under way.