Skull-shaped spider for Hallowe'en!

[bustergut]

Hello, my eight-year-old son found this spider in his grandad's garden, and we were struck by the fact that it appears to have a grinning skull on its back.
He is convinced he has discovered a new species. We are not so sure ...
Can anyone ID it - it is a yellow colour with brown tinges, and has banded brown and puce legs.
The body, which was a skull shape as well as having markings which looked like hollow eyes and a grinning mouth, was about 1.5 cms long
Difficult without being able to attach a photo, but would be glad of any comments

[bustergut]

Will attach a photo if the image I uploaded is approved

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Buster,

Um... upload your photo to the Image Archive as opposed to the Gallery - it won't be approved for the latter without a correctly-formatted name

I look forward to seeing it!

Tke care,

Jason

[Meta menardi]

Amaurobius sp. might fit the bill.

[bustergut]

The amaurobius I checked out on Google doesn't look like it, but will post up an image in the archive as soon as I get it emailed from my dad, who has it on his computer.
The nearest I have found is a common garden spider, but even then it looks too bulbous at one end and the markings are different.

[bustergut]

Here is the spider

[Geoff F]

To me, that rather looks like an odd variation of Araneus diadematus (Garden Spider) which can vary considerably in colour. But I've never seen that colour version before.

[col188]

Originally Posted by Geoff F

To me, that rather looks like an odd variation of Araneus diadematus (Garden Spider) which can vary considerably in colour. But I've never seen that colour version before.

Saw one even redder than that, whilst changing the hanging baskets. It was huge. Dashed for the camera but it had gone when I got back..........sods law!

Col

[Jason Green]

I agree - the spider is the Common Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus