FOR THE perfect half-term treat - with a bit of sneaky study thrown in - take the family to Blackpool's Sea Life Centre.

The centre is carrying out unique research into the mood swings and intelligence of the octopus.

But because Sea Life staff have so many other fish to monitor, they are asking visitors to act as voluntary research assistants and note down what they see in the octopus tank.

The eight-legged sea creatures are given intelligence tests, such as trying to get their food out of screw-top jars.

But they have proved no challenge for the brainy octopuses, as they nimbly wrap their tentacles around the jar and whip off the top.

An octopus also shows how it feels by changing colour, going darker the happier it is. And when it's really excited, it can grow enough spikes to put a hedgehog to shame.

We have twelve family tickets up for grabs, each one worth £20. To enter, tell us how many legs/tentacles an octopus has. Mark your entry Sea Life Comp (Internet), Preston Citizen, 3 Winckley Court, Chapel Street, Preston, PR1 3JJ. The closing date is October 24.

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