A tortoise gave rail passengers trying to get to Stansted Airport an unexpected delay after finding its way onto the train tracks.
Greater Anglia rail tweeted that trains between Norwich and Stansted airport were stopped for more than an hour on Monday due to the injured reptile.
The 76cm-long tortoise, called Clyde, was discovered on the tracks in Norfolk at midday on Monday. He had escaped from a nearby pet shop on Sunday.
One passenger on a train to Norwich, Diane Akers, posted a photo of the reptile standing on the track, reporting to the train company: “It’s still alive but injured.”
The tortoise’s shell appeared to have a large gash on top. She raised the alarm again when she got to her destination.
She told the BBC: “When we got to Norwich station I told staff in the office there, and the chap looked at me as if I was mad — and then a police officer came along and said he’d seen my tweet.”
A Greater Anglia spokeswoman said: “We are sorry for the disruption caused to customers between Norwich and Cambridge this afternoon.
“This was due to a very large, injured tortoise on the line near Harling Road. Network Rail attended and helped the animal. Services were able to run from 13.25.”
