Daredevil tortoise's death wish

"They didn't realise how hyperactive Freddie is"

Freddie the pet tortoise may not be fast on his feet, but after escaping from his owners' garden he began on a three-week daredevil adventure.

With his owners away on holiday, he overcame dozens of fences and barriers during a one-and-a-half mile marathon, to try his luck on the hard shoulder of the M3 - just north of junction 12 at Otterbourne, near Winchester, Hampshire.

Oblivious to the thundering traffic, or with an impending death wish, the family pet was averaging 0.0034 miles per hour when he began veering towards the slow lane.

Passing husband and wife, David and Liz Fouch, spotted the endangered creature, pulled over, and took him home to Winchester.

By the time I had run the 300 yards back to the tortoise, he was almost crossing the line onto the motorway. I was only just able to grab him Liz Fouch

When a friend of theirs spotted a local post office advert, he was reunited with his owners, the Passells, from Otterbourne.

Mrs Fouch, 47, said she could not believe her eyes when she spotted the creature on the hard shoulder.

The supermarket worker said: "I saw this thing crawling towards the slow lane without a care in the world. He was very close to the cars.

"I immediately grabbed David and got him to pull over on the hard shoulder after we had passed him.

"By the time I had run the 300 yards back to the tortoise, he was almost crossing the line onto the motorway.

"I was only just able to grab him."

'Hyperactive'

His owner, Wendy Passell, said she was amazed when, after three weeks, she was told her runaway pet had been found.

The 42-year-old mother-of-three said: "We went on holiday for the weekend and left friends looking after the house.

"But they didn't realise how hyperactive Freddie is and not to let him out in the garden on his own.

"After almost three weeks with no news we had nearly given up hope."

"The motorway is a mile-and-a-half away from our garden and there are dozens of fences and barriers in between, not to mention the field with foxes prowling around.

"We have had Freddie for over ten years now and he is part of the family. My kids were so sad when they thought he was gone.

"He's fine now, although a bit thinner.

"I'm sure he's looking forward to a long hibernation this winter after his strenuous summer escapades."