A clingy octopus wrapped its tentacles around a passing snorkeller's face like an 'Alien' face hugger.

Footage shows the marine mollusc swimming near the surface and shrouding the helmet of a girl in Zambales, the Philippines.

It was pushed away by the tourist who swam deeper into the sea to make it leave, but the soft-bodied animal followed her around.

It clung its limbs around her shoulders and refused to abandon her.

A guide from tour company Freedive Zambales said: 'It was captured by one of the local boatmen, but we asked to release it. No one was hurt.'

A face hugger is a fictional creature from the Alien franchise. It is a part of the Xenomorph life cycle and is responsible for implanting embryos into hosts.

The Alien franchise is a science fiction horror series that began with the 1979 film Alien, directed by Ridley Scott. It has since expanded into a major multimedia franchise, including movies, books, comics, and video games.