Paul the World Cup-predicting octopus dies

Paul the octopus, which won unlikely worldwide fame correctly predicting a host of World Cup matches, has died, his owners said yesterday.

Stefan Porwoll, manager of the Oberhausen Sea Life Centre in Germany, said: "His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself."

Paul predicted the winners of all Germany's World Cup clashes, and then of the final, by selecting one of two boxes, each loaded with a mussel food treat and marked on the outside with one of the teams.

Paul will live on in the form of a range of commercial enterprises ranging from special clothing lines to mobile phone applications. He will also feature in a documentary.