An Ellesmere Port family is appealing to the community to keep their eyes peeled for their much-loved tortoise who wandered off for an adventure of his own while they were on holiday.
Topsy was staying with owner Rachel Evans' nan while she, husband Marc and their little girl Maya enjoyed a Turkish getaway.
The one-year-old Horsefield tortoise was having his daily walk outside in Rachel's nan's garden on Atherton Road on June 18 when the phone rang so he was left alone momentarily.
Unluckily for the Evans family, Topsy seems to go against type and is actually quite the Speedy Gonzales.
Rachel explained: "He is a fast little thing and when she returned seconds later he had gone on his own little adventure!
"My nan was distraught and called my mum and dad, brother and his partner to search the garden, which unfortunately for us is large and a tortoise hiding place dream, but after trying all the local gardens and a big search our little Topsy is still AWOL."
Rachel and Marc bought Topsy for five-year-old Maya after she fell in love with some turtles during a previous holiday to Turkey and he has been a 'valued miniature member of the family ever since'.
"He is so precious to Maya," Rachel said.
"She makes sure he is fed well and even took him with daddy for a tortoise MOT at the local garden centre recently."
Blissfully unaware
Rachel's family managed to find a similar-looking tortoise from a pet shop before Maya, Rachel and Marc returned.
But with Maya blissfully unaware that Topsy has gone walkabout and that they currently have a stand-in, it is imperative that nobody tells the youngster.
Rachel added: "I hate the thought of our little Topsy out in the big wide world and that cats and birds could get him.
"We would love him home and then Maya's Topsy 1 could maybe have a girlfriend in Topsy 2."
If you have spotted Topsy or have any information about where he is, call Rachel on 07837728105.
