Bernard awaits turtle reunion

Jersey is now kept in a 750,000-litre ocean tank in Brighton

A Jersey man is being reunited with a giant turtle he found washed ashore in the island more than 50 years ago.

Bernard Le Tourneur has been invited by staff to meet the loggerhead turtle as it starts a new life at an aquarium in Brighton.

When Mr Le Tourneur discovered the turtle with his father at Green Island in 1950, the turtle, known as Jersey, was only the size of an average person's hand.

But Jersey now weighs more than 20 stone (127 kg) and is over one metre long.

'Very excited'

Mr Tourneur said he could not wait for the grand reunion on Thursday morning and was feeling "very excited".

When Mr Le Tourneur found the turtle, hidden in seaweed, it was taken to the Animals Shelter.

But it later moved to London Zoo and then on to the Blackpool Tower Aquarium, where it was joined by two more huge turtles.

But the aquarium curators recently decided the mammoth trio would be happier in the 750,000-litre ocean tank at Brighton's Sea Life Centre.

Separate vans

The trio made the journey of more than 300 miles from Blackpool to Brighton at the end of January.

They were moved in separate vans on mattresses kept moist with sea water.

Two of the turtles have now moved again - to the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham.

But Jersey has remained in Brighton and eats 10 lb of fish a week.