Escapologist to challenge octopus at Sealife launch

4:58pm Tuesday 18th March 2008

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Escapologist Danny Hunt faces a tough challenge at Blackpool Sea Life Centre on Thursday from one of the world's brainiest sea creatures.

The Scarborough man will attempt to escape from a sealed and padlocked box faster than the resident Giant Pacific Octopus can open a box of its own.

The bizarre man v octopus event is being staged to mark the launch of the Sea Life Centre's new £100,000 feature exhibition Suckers, dedicated to octopuses and their relatives.

Octopuses are renowned for their intelligence, and the Giant Pacific is the brainiest of all, able to solve quite complex puzzles and negotiate tricky mazes of tubing to reach food.

Sea Life staff reckon their Giant Pacific will be able to work out how to open a children's lunch box faster than Danny can get himself from his tight space.

Suckers also stars Henry the six-legged lesser octopus, a genetic one-off who has already achieved fame on a global scale, plus a banded octopus, cuttlefish and several nautilus octopuses living in colourful spiral shells.

To see our video of escapologist Danny earlier this year at Blackpool Sealife Centre click the link below.