Deadly octopus found in a tennis ball

Our pick of the strange but true stories from around the world.

A deadly playmate

A mother has shared a frightening reminder of the dangers of playing near the ocean in Australia after her children discovered that an old tennis ball they had found on the beach contained a deadly blue-ringed octopus. The woman posted to Facebook that her children had played with the ball for 15-20 minutes before the creature poked a tentacle out through a hole. A bite from a tiny blue-ringed octopus can be deadly within minutes if left untreated.

German casino closed down by sex toy

A casino in Halberstadt, Germany, and several other nearby buildings were evacuated overnight after a patron noticed "strange ticking and humming sounds" emanating from a rubbish bin in the male toilets. A bomb disposal team was called to the scene, where it was discovered that the source of the noises was a discarded "male-oriented" sex toy – a mechanical penis ring that had its vibration function activated.

Turkish singletons call for official help

Men from the southern Turkish village of Uzumlu have taken to the streets to protest the refusal of the women of the village to marry them. They say they have been left single for up to nine years as the women would rather marry men who will take them to live in the country's larger cities. One protester reportedly carried a placard calling for assistance from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while promising that the men will "impregnate their spouses with at least five children".