GIRL ATTACKED BY OCTOPUS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3736, 31 December 1927, Page 2

GIRL ATTACKED BY OCTOPUS.

DRAGGED UNDER WATER. SAVED BY BROTHER.

Auckland, Last Night. Attacked by an octopus at Stanley Bay, Kathleen Cosgrove, aged 14,’ was dragged under water in the grip of the monster’s tentacles.

She wp saved from a horrible fate only by the prompt action of • her brother, Mr. Pat Cosgrove, who dashed to her assistance. bear nasty marks of the which clung to their legs. ' In the middle of the afternoon when the tide was fast receding and fairly low, the girl and her elder brother went for a swim on Ahe beach near the pier. As the water was shallow they had to wade out a long way before finding sufficient depth in which to swim. The girl was playing about near some piles when she trod on something which she at first thought was a branch of a. tree, but which she soon discovered, to be something more animate. The unseen thing curled about her legs, upset her balance in the water and hung on.

Miss Cosgrove called to her brother, who was swimming in the vicinity. Just as he reached the spot the octopus dragged the girl under the water, at the same time issuing the inky black fluid which oqtopi emit to embarras and 1 blind their victims.

Simultaneously, another and larger tentacle came out of the water and curled about Mr. Cosgrove’s leg above the knee. The young man grasped the deadly arm and tore it from his leg and pulled vigorously at bis sister in an endeavour to free her from the menat ing tentacles.

•In the comparatively shallow water in which the' struggle took place the octopus was eventually driven off. Mr. Cosgrove was too concerned about the rescue of his sister and V the little girl was too' upset to at- £ tempt to capture it till it was too late.

When they emerged from the wa--ter both Mr. Cosgrove and his sister were swollen and bleeding about the legs, the marks on the girl looking particularly angry. Home remedies and disinfectants were applied, and but for shock and memory of it, neither of the young people have suffered greatly by their unenviable experience.