Sussex man's brush with death after unknowingly handling world's deadliest octopus

Andy McConnell, from Rye in East Sussex, handled and played with a venomous blue-ringed octopus which scientists say has a toxin considered to be a thousand times more deadly to humans than cyanide.

Despite their small size—12 to 20 cm – and relatively docile nature, they are very dangerous if provoked when handled because their venom contains a powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. It causes death by paralysis of muscles which leads to suffocation.

Each octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 adult humans within minutes. Their bites are tiny and often painless, with many victims not realising they have been envenomated until respiratory depression and paralysis begins. No blue-ringed octopus antivenom is available.

Andy is one of the world’s foremost glass specialist and historian and has featured many times on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. He also enjoyed a successful career as a rock and roll journalist in Hollywood, California.

Andy said: "I was out beach walking when I spotted some kids gathered excitedly on the low tide-line. I approached them and one of them was holding a tiny octopus then released it into a rock pool, causing it to swim away. I copied him, recovering it in my hand, filming it and then releasing it.

"I posted it on Instagram and was shocked when it eventually clocked over six million views.

“I really had no idea at all. I come from a place where the most deadliest animal is the neighbour’s Cockapoo dog Bertie.”