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Escaped tortoise back home in Wymondham after a month on the run | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Matilda is about the size of a saucer, her owner said | Matilda is about the size of a saucer, her owner said |
A tortoise has been reunited with its relieved owners a month after making a not-so-swift escape from their garden. | A tortoise has been reunited with its relieved owners a month after making a not-so-swift escape from their garden. |
Sallyanne Brooksbank said she had all but given up on ever seeing pet Matilda again after she went missing in early July. | Sallyanne Brooksbank said she had all but given up on ever seeing pet Matilda again after she went missing in early July. |
However, the 10-year-old tortoise was discovered by walkers in a field three miles from home in Wymondham in Leicestershire on Thursday, and has now been safely returned. | |
"She must have had quite an adventure," Mrs Brooksbank said. | "She must have had quite an adventure," Mrs Brooksbank said. |
"We were distraught when she went missing. We searched the garden over and over, but I thought we'd never see her again. | "We were distraught when she went missing. We searched the garden over and over, but I thought we'd never see her again. |
"Now she's back we've all got a massive smile on our faces." | "Now she's back we've all got a massive smile on our faces." |
The walkers who found Matilda picked her up and took her to a nearby shop. | The walkers who found Matilda picked her up and took her to a nearby shop. |
Mrs Brooksbank said discovered the tortoise had been found when she spotted a post by the shopkeepers on Facebook. | Mrs Brooksbank said discovered the tortoise had been found when she spotted a post by the shopkeepers on Facebook. |
"It's the power of social media," she added. | "It's the power of social media," she added. |
"We don't know who found her, but I'd love to thank them." | "We don't know who found her, but I'd love to thank them." |
Matilda's owner said she possibly escaped the garden by climbing up on a raised bed of courgettes | |
Mrs Brooksbank said Matilda, a Hermann's tortoise, appeared to be none the worse for her roaming. | |
"We wish she could speak because we'd love to know how far she got," she added. | "We wish she could speak because we'd love to know how far she got," she added. |
"She's not very agile, but I think she may have climbed up a courgette stalk to get out of the garden. | "She's not very agile, but I think she may have climbed up a courgette stalk to get out of the garden. |
"She headed off in the direction of Sewstern. | "She headed off in the direction of Sewstern. |
"We've been trying to work out her route, but it has to have been through several fences, across fields, a ditch, a road, a stream and who knows what else." | "We've been trying to work out her route, but it has to have been through several fences, across fields, a ditch, a road, a stream and who knows what else." |
Mrs Brooksbank said Matilda was small and about the size of a saucer, adding it was "a miracle" to have her home. | |
She said: "She could have been attacked or squashed by a car - but she seems fine. | She said: "She could have been attacked or squashed by a car - but she seems fine. |
"If anything, she might have grown a bit. | "If anything, she might have grown a bit. |
"There are no marks on her shell, and she gobbled up the food we gave her. | "There are no marks on her shell, and she gobbled up the food we gave her. |
"She seems happy to be home, and I know we are happy to have her back." | "She seems happy to be home, and I know we are happy to have her back." |
Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. | Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. |
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