Tall vows

The world's tallest man has got married - to a woman more than two feet shorter than him.

Bao Xishun, who is 7ft 9ins, married 5ft 6ins Xia Shujuan, a 29-year-old saleswoman, after seeking a bride through the personal ads.

"After sending out marriage advertisements across the world and going through a long selection process, the efforts have finally paid off," the Beijing News newspaper reported.

Mr Bao, 56, ended up marrying a woman from his home town Chifeng in Inner Mongolia.

Confirmed last year by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's tallest person, Mr Bao attained international prominence in December by saving two dolphins.

The creatures had become sick after nibbling on plastic from the edge of their pool at an aquarium in Liaoning province.

Attempts to use surgical instruments failed until someone had the idea of calling on Mr Bao to use his 42-inch-long arm to pull out the pieces of plastic, Chinese media reported.

The Guinness Book of Records says Mr Bao was of normal height until 16 but then put on a spurt that doctors were unable to explain, reaching his full height in seven years.

After a stint in the army, where he was recruited for a basketball team, Mr Bao returned to Inner Mongolia. He now herds livestock and performs publicity stunts