Paul announces retirement

The psychic cephalopod became a global sensation by correctly predicting the result of every Germany game at the World Cup. He signed off with a perfect eight out of eight record by picking Spain to beat the Netherlands in the final.

A spokesman for the German aquarium where he is kept said Paul would: "Go into retirement and do what he likes to do best: play with his handlers and delight children who come to visit him."

Paul, who was born in Weymouth but lives at Sea Life in Oberhausen, Germany, became a talisman for gamblers, with bookmakers William Hill claiming the octopus's forecasts cost them £500,000 as punters flocked to follow his advice.

Before each match, his keepers would lower a plastic container with two compartments - one for each team - into Paul's tank. A clam was placed into each compartment, and the clam he ate first represented his prediction.

He correctly backed Germany to beat Australia, Ghana, England, Argentina and Uruguay, but lose to Serbia and Spain, then nailed the result of the final. A £10 accumulator on all eight results would have won around £2,000.

Two years ago, Paul predicted five of Germany's six results at Euro 2008 correctly, but slipped up when picking the Germans to win the final. They lost 1-0.