It was less of a great escape and more a laborious plod.

Tallulah the tortoise, who broke free from her Oxford garden last July, was found on Wednesday just 322 metres away, having travelled at a speed of less than 0.00005mph.

The nine-year-old pet had lived happily with her owners, Danielle Morris, 50 and her daughter Leanna, 29, for many years, never venturing beyond the confines of their garden.

That is until six months ago, when she was enjoying the sunshine, chewing on plants, and trotting up and down the lawn when she came across a small foxhole and disappeared.

A lot has happened in the intervening months; catastrophic hurricanes, royal engagements, a Brexit breakthrough and a sex abuse scandal.

But for Tallulah, it was a case of making slow and steady progress in a dead straight line, through a neighbouring back garden, past the house and through their front garden, carefully crossing a rather busy road and finally, making her way into a school field.