- By David Knox
- BBC Scotland Selkirk
June 20, 2023
Updated 4 hours ago
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Cathryn with the runaway turtle Tommy
The owner of a lost turtle tightens security after her 60-year-old pet reaches the other end of a busy Borders town.
Cathryn Scott is still unsure how Tommy was able to cross at least three busy roads, a town center and a footbridge to end up about a mile from home.
But the legal officer from Selkirk isn’t taking any more chances.
Cathryn said, “We’re strengthening his enclosure by building up the wire mesh and creating an overhang.”
Despite taking care of Tommy for 40 years, Cathryn can only recall a few attempts at escape before this summer.
After his two outbreaks in 2017, he was found a short walk away – first on a neighboring street and then in a neighbor’s garden.
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Tommy the turtle traveled more than a mile through a busy city before it was found
During his two-day grand escape last week, Tommy reached the other side of Selkirk.
Cathryn explained: “We were away in Arran for a long weekend and a friend was looking after him.
“He was not in his enclosure when we returned on Sunday evening and despite searching in and around our garden he could not be found.”
“I posted a post on Facebook for friends to keep an eye out for and the next evening I received word that he was found roaming the lawn in front of the Riverside Nursing Home – that’s across town.”
“We assume he found his way to the High Street on his own and that someone helped him with the rest, although it’s unlikely we’ll ever know for sure.”
Image Credit: Gordon Brown/Geograph
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Cathryn believes Tommy has reached Scotts Place, where he may have been helped through the town center
It is estimated that turtles can reach speeds of up to a kilometer (about half a mile) every three to four hours.
But Tommy still had to maneuver his way across the city’s busy Scotts Place, High Street and trunk road A7 before heading down either Green Road or Forest Road to Ettrick Water.
He also had to cross either the road or footbridge to reach the Bannerfield area, where he was found Monday night.
Just days after returning to his enclosure, Tommy made another attempt to get free over the weekend.
This time he was found later in the day in the undergrowth at the foot of a neighbour’s garden.
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Cathryn and husband Michael put up the fences around Tommy’s enclosure
Cathryn added, “The neighbors are landscaping their garden, so he was lucky.”
“There is an excavator working there and they spray all the overgrown grass areas.
“Hopefully this is the last drama we have with Tommy.”