A FAMILY is overjoyed to be reunited with their tortoise of 18 years after it escaped from their garden.

Ann Harris became concerned when her much-loved tortoise Joe was nowhere to be found in the garden of her home in Ulverston.

The 79-year-old, who lives with her son Paul and daughter-in-law Karen, began searching for the shelled reptile – but to no avail.

The family, who moved from Birmingham to Ulverston last year, was shocked to learn where Joe had actually wandered to on his travels around the town.

“Joe often hides in the bushes or buries himself in the ground when it’s hot weather, so we thought he’d done that and we were just struggling to find him,” Karen said.

“It wasn’t unusual for us not see him all day because it was so hot. But that afternoon, we were looking for him and thought he’ll reappear in a while but he didn’t.

“As time went on, we still couldn’t find him and the whole family were looking in the bushes trying to find him.”

Unbeknownst to the Harris family, Joe had wandered out the garden, over the bridge to a nearby ginnel between Rake Lane and Victoria Road.

“When the next morning came and we still couldn’t find him, we thought he must have got out,” Karen said.

“He’s got out once before but we’d put a board up to stop him walking out the garden. We had no idea where he had gone.”

Joe, who is a rescue tortoise, had in fact been taken in by a nearby resident, Kim Dance, after a stranger knocked at the door on Sunday to say they had found a tortoise near their home.

Mrs Dance brought the lost reptile into her garden while the search continued for his owner.

She took to social media to appeal for the tortoise’s owners but received no claims for the shelled animal.

However, thanks to an article in The Mail, the Harris’ were alerted to Joe’s current abode and quickly reunited with their missing family pet.

READ MORE: Ulverston couple appeal to find owner of lost tortoise

“A friend of my husband Paul had seen the article and she messaged him asking if the tortoise was Joe and he said it is”, Karen said.

“We would never have known where he was without the article. Moving from the big city of Birmingham to Ulverston really made us realise how big the community spirit is here.

“Everyone is looking out for everyone and wants to help – it’s lovely.

“It was a sense of relief knowing Joe was safe. He’s a big part of the family. Ann will talk to him around the garden. We had been a bit lost without him.”

Ann, who is a retired carer, spoke of her elation at being reunited with her precious pet of nearly two decades.

“I’m relieved to have him back home,” she said.

“Since he’s got back, we keep worrying he’s going to wander off again but have blocked up all his exits just in case.

“He’s a big part of the family. I miss him when he goes into hibernation.”