A DETERMINED tortoise turned into a traffic hazard – albeit a slowcoach – in Harpenden on Monday, when it was discovered by a startled resident walking up the middle of a road.
The tortoise is safe and well, and currently tucking into plenty of lettuce and cucumber, but Alan Turner, who spotted the reptile on Oakfield Road, is keen to trace its owner.
Alan explained: “I was talking to a guy on the footpath when I said, ‘hey, wait a minute, there’s a tortoise coming towards us’. He was quite fast. It was about 3pm on Monday, and he was walking up the middle of the road.”
Alan said that as his son has raised tortoises, he has gained knowledge of the reptile over the years.
He thinks the one-foot-long reptile is a male Mediterranean Spur-thighed tortoise, possibly about 10 years old.
Alan said: “He is an escape artist. I’ve got him penned up in my back yard, and I’m hoping the owner will come forward.”
He can be contacted on 01582 462 337.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here