Can anyone identify this spider

[MEgirl]

A friend sent me this picture. She's new to the UK and asked me if I know but I'm hopeless when it comes to insects.

looks like a normal orb spider to me.
beautiful.

It's a garden cross spider

Orb spider (and an arachnid, not an insect).

Orb spider (and an arachnid, not an insect).<

Thanks and of course it's an arachnid. Wasn't thinking.

That's George I would recognise him anywhere.

Ooh, I've got one of them in my garden at the moment. He is absolutely fucking huge, I've never seen anything like it.

Huge means it's a she, not a he, Orbweaver.

But they are startlingly beautiful, especially as the weather turns and their webs are covered with thousands of tiny rainbows like jewels.

That's not George, looks like George and for a moment I thought it was George too but no it's not him.

It's bloody Keith, didn't think I'd ever see him again. He's looking well, the job must be going ok for him. Oh we had some laughs together...... he was a hoot!