The world’s tallest man has finally met his match, and she barely comes up to his elbow.

Bao Xishun, who measures 7ft 9in (2.36m) and lives in the Inner Mongolia region of China, has been seeking a bride for decades. At last, at the age of 56, he has found his true love and she comes from the same small town, Chifeng.

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

Xia Shujuan, his wife, is a 28-year-old saleswoman who works in a clothing store. She measures a mere 5ft 6in.

Mr Bao, who was confirmed last year by Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest living man, attained his height in a seven-year growth spurt that began in his teens.

As well as herding livestock, he hires himself out for publicity stunts. In December he was called in to save the lives of two dolphins at an aquarium when he reached deep into their stomachs to pull out pieces of plastic they had swallowed.

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