Escaped tortoise rides train after being found on tracks near London

Train services between Ascot in Berkshire and Bagshot in Surrey were disrupted on Friday evening after the lost reptile was spotted by a train driver. The creature was quickly removed from the railway.

South Western Railway posted a photo of the tortoise on social media saying he had “been retrieved and is now on his way home.”

“Network Rail and SWR staff moved the tortoise to a position of safety on the platform, including a short ride on the train itself,” a spokesperson said.

“Its owner collected it from the station later that evening, and, as far as we are aware, was unharmed.”

Social media users couldn’t resist posting tortoise related puns after the incident.

One wrote: “No doubt the poor thing was shell shocked!”

While another said: “That could have been a turtle disaster…”

“Probably moving faster than a SWR train still to be fair,” another quipped.