This octopus's tentacles have been kept on tenterhooks thanks to an advent calendar.

Giant Pacific octopus Lizzie Blue, named in honour of the Queen's Jubilee, is in festive mood thanks to her keepers at Brighton Sea Life Centre.

Curator Carey Duckhouse: “Our advent calendar, made from a plastic multi-drawer tool box, is perfect for her.

“We hide a tasty fishy morsel or crab in the appropriate box each day, and she has to find the right drawer to gain her reward.

“It means sealing up all the other drawers every time so she doesn't just yank all of them out, but it sets a challenge for her which she really seems to enjoy.

“We often open up the top of her tank just to play with her.

“She wraps her tentacles around our arms but is very gentle, and just seems to enjoy the interaction.”

Evidence of intelligence in octopuses convinced the EU to give them the legal status of 'honorary vertebrates' to protect them from cruel treatment by vivisectionists.

Brighton Sea Life is campaigning to have them removed from seafood menus for the same reason.