A nine-year-old boy from Wigan has been reunited with his pet tortoise, Mary, seven months after she went missing. The reptile was discovered at a nearby electricity substation, having apparently taken an extended 'power nap'.
Harvey, the owner, was devastated when Mary disappeared from their garden last August. Despite extensive searches, the family had given up hope of finding her after a cold winter.
Ben Baxendale, a grounds maintenance worker for Electricity North West, found Mary while clearing litter from a substation in Norley. 'At first, I thought it was some sort of toy on the floor,' he said. 'Then I saw the tortoise move and retract its head into its shell.'
Mr Baxendale knocked on nearby doors and spoke to Harvey's grandmother, who immediately identified the tortoise as Mary. Harvey's mother, Jodie, described the reunion as 'heart-warming' and said seeing her son's smile made several family members cry.
