A tortoise that had been missing for seven months in Barrow was found this week just 0.1 miles away from her home.

'Shelly' the Hermann's tortoise, went missing from her home in Ramsgate Crescent in April and was discovered close to Andy's Fish and Chip on Hastings Street.

She was found by a member of the public on Monday (November 4) who handed her in to Little Beasties pet shop in Ulverston.

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Owner Mandy Christopher said: "She was found in a garden by a lad who was clearing a garden.

"She was found burrowed under a lot of garden stuff so she may have been trying to hibernate.

"He was worried about her and wondered what he could do so he handed her into us.

"We discovered she had a microchip however when we got it scanned, it wasn't registered to anyone.

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"I went on a Facebook and managed to find a Facebook post in June to say she'd been missing since April.

"I messaged the lady and asked her whereabouts she went missing and asked her to send a picture.

"Tortoises have unique markings on their shells known as 'scutes' and Shelly's are very distinctive. 

"When I compared the photo to the shell it was an exact match. Her owner was shocked and thrilled to know she's been found and is in brilliant condition.

'Shelly' is going to stay in the pet shop for a short while as her owner has just moved home and is now preparing to have her pet back home safe and sound.