A PET owner got a huge shock when her tortoise reappeared six months after going missing.

Lynn Routledge, of St Katherine’s Avenue in Bridport, was devastated when Rambo, her 60-year-old tortoise, disappeared in October.

Lynn went to check on the tortoise on a frosty night, only to realise he had vanished. She had hoped that he'd gone into hibernation, but was surprised when he returned during the last week's cold snap.

Lynn said: “He stopped eating about two or three weeks beforehand so I left him in his pen. I assumed he was ready for hibernation so I put him in his box. I went to check and thought he’d be underneath all of his straw but he was gone."

Despite snowfall, Rambo returned home last week. "I was in the bathroom and looked out of the window to see him in the middle of the lawn," said Lynn. "I just couldn't believe it."

Rambo escaped from a pen in her owner's garden, and Lynn had feared the tortoise would have walked much further afield.

She was worried foxes and badgers might have preyed on the animal, and was especially concerned about Rambo's welfare in the lead-up to Bonfire Night, fearing the tortoise might have tried to find somewhere safe and warm to hibernate.

"All this time I've been hoping he's alright and hoping somebody would find him," said Lynn. "Everybody knew about him. I've been worried about his safety and could not believe it when he turned up all muddy. At first I thought it was a big stone and was just so shocked when I realised."

Rambo is of sentimental value to Lynn, having originally belonged to her mother, Jean. Lynn stepped in to take care of him when she was diagnosed with dementia.

"The grandchildren absolutely love him," said Lynn. "Originally he was called Poppy as we thought he was a girl – and he’s very, very clever."