A blue-ringed octopus bite is rare but potentially deadly. Here’s what you need to know

Aaron Hodgson was collecting shells on a beach just south of Newcastle with his two young daughters when something unforgettable happened.

He was holding a bunch of shells in his hand when he felt a slight sucking sensation on his finger, which made him flick the shells back into the water.

And that’s when he saw it — a tiny blue-ringed octopus, which had been hiding in the shells and had just given him a bite.

Five minutes later, Aaron was hit by nausea and stomach cramps, and it felt like his chest was being flushed with cold water on the inside.

Then his vision went blurry, his heart started pumping hard, he felt faint and he thought he was going to die.

Aaron couldn’t move or talk, not even to comfort his distressed children, and just…