Escaped tortoise rides train after being found on railway near London

Rail passengers near London faced a slow start to the weekend after a tortoise was found on the tracks - before it took a short ride on a train.

Four services between Ascot in Berkshire and Bagshot in Surrey at around 6pm on Friday were delayed after the lost, shelled reptile was spotted by a train driver. The creature was quickly removed from the railway.

It is not known how the tortoise managed to get onto the tracks but it was later picked up by its owner after a short ride on the train.

South Western Railway posted a photo of the animal on social media and reassured its followers that “he has been retrieved and is now on his way home.”

The rail operator told the BBC: “Network Rail and SWR staff moved the tortoise to a position of safety on the platform, including a short ride on the train itself.

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