Trapped terrapin rescued from ice by schoolboy in Aberdeen Published duration 4 December 2012

image caption Theodora's legs and the bottom of her shell were trapped

A terrapin which was trapped in ice in Aberdeen was rescued after being spotted by a school pupil.

The primary schoolboy broke the ice after seeing the terrapin's legs and the bottom of her shell completely trapped in a deep puddle which had frozen over.

The creature has been called Theodora as the pupil was Theo Parverie.

The Scottish SPCA appealed for information about the find, in a park in Seaton Place.

Animal rescue officer Karen Hogg said: "We can't be sure how she got there but we can't rule out the possibility she was dumped.

"Theodora was extremely cold and, as terrapins require heat, she wouldn't have survived for much longer if she hadn't been rescued.

"She is underweight and her shell is in very poor condition so it seems she hasn't been receiving the proper care she needs.

"Theodora is now doing really well and we're hopeful she'll soon make a full recovery."

'Key message'

She added: "Thankfully the boy who discovered Theodora knew what he should do as one of our officers had recently visited his school as part of our free Prevention Through Education programme.

"One of the key messages is that children should ask a responsible adult to call our helpline if they find an animal in distress, which is exactly what Theo did.

"We've spoken to over 9,000 primary school pupils in Aberdeen this year and it's fantastic to see the benefits of our programme first hand."