Paul the World Cup octopus dies in his tank in Germany

So farewell... Paul the octopus, famous for predicting football results

Paul the octopus, an unlikely star of the 2010 World Cup who predicted the outcome of eight matches, has died at an aquarium in Germany.

Staff at the Sea Life centre in Oberhausen said they were devastated to learn that he had passed away during the night.

Paul made his name by successfully choosing a mussel from one of two boxes bearing the flags of competing nations.

Octopuses rarely live beyond two years so his death was not unexpected.Paul was two-and-a-half years old and had been hatched at another centre at Weymouth in England in 2008.