Family reunited with family pet tortoise after it escaped 2 years ago

10-year-old Beatrice Waddell and her family from Haydon Bridge thought they had lost their beloved pet tortoise 'Jemima' forever after he escped from their garden near Riding Mill two in 2021.

"We inherited Jermima from my father after he died. He only had her when she was wondering alone lost 25 years ago and knew he kept tortoises," Charles Waddell, Beatrice's father explains.

"He managed to keep her safe all these years and then suddenly she came to us and decided to do a great escape.

"They move a lot quicker than you think and she definitely outfoxed us!"

"We posted a notice on Facebook about what had happened and about four to six weeks later an online post said a tortoise had been found on the road about half a mile from our house.

"We tracked down the person who had found her only to be told that she had been taken to the nearest house but as nobody was in they had left her in the garden.

"Every day we looked for her but she was not in the property and likely moved on."

Two years later, the family recieved a call they were hoping for and Jemima had been found.

"We were told a tortoise had been handed in to the local vets and was now with vets in Morpeth,"Charles said.

"It turns out that a farmer had found her in a field and thought she was a rock - the farmer's kids wanted to keep her but handed over to vets which was then transfered to a specialised vets in Morpeth.

"One we proved she was ours and after she was given a shot as she was egg bound, we were able to take her home and the eight eggs.

"She has lived nine lives and we are very lucky to have her back. We never give up but after not seeing for so long we didn't think we would see her again.

"Beatrice was thrilled to have Jemima back and she can join her other friend Georgina in the back garden in a secure and upgraded pen."