Octopus tries to wrestle camera from divers

Divers Warren Murray and David Malvestuto were filming the octopus when it attempted to steal their camera

The moment the octopus attempted to wrestle the camera away (YouTube)

Two divers found themselves wrestling with an apparently camera-shy octopus after the creature attempted to poach the device in a dramatic tug of war.

Experienced divers Warren Murray and David Malvestuto were recording footage of the creature in the Bluefish Cove, in California, when it grabbed the device, sparking an underwater wrestle.

The pair, from California, were 80ft below sea level taking pictures of marine life when the octopus attacked.

Mr Murray, who filmed the incident told the BBC: “Before you know it, I saw one arm grab him and then the whole body just lunged onto his camera.

"I was worried that the octopus wasn’t actually going to come off his camera and I was just making sure I got it on video, otherwise the people on land wouldn’t believe us.”

“We didn’t bother it or put it in a dangerous situation”, Mr Murry said, “so I think it more or less was just curious”.

This is not the first time an octopus has attempted to steal a camera. In 2010, a thieving octopus tried to steal diver Victor Huang's new Panasonic Lumix camera, which resulted in a five minute chase as Huang pursued the creature in an attempt to get his gadget back.

He then used his speargun to prise the camera away from the creature, before spending a few more minutes taking it for a ride, which he said it seemed to enjoy. Huang told stuff.co.nz: "I honestly believe that it saw the bright blue digital camera and went ‘oh I need that’, you know?"