Trains were halted in Norfolk today due to an injured giant tortoise on the tracks which was 'too heavy to lift'.
The tortoise caused trains to come to a halt in southeastern England, with Greater Anglia rail company tweeting that trains between the city of Norwich and Stansted Airport were stopped for more than an hour due to the creature.
The 76cm-long tortoise, called Clyde, escaped from Swallow Aquatics in East Harling yesterday.
Trains cancelled due to giant tortoise on the tracks https://t.co/Isinbcnvgu
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) August 2, 2022
It was spotted on the Cambridge-bound line before 1pm, with a hole in its shell after being hit by a train, the BBC reported.
The operator first announced the line was blocked by 'animals on the railway' earlier this afternoon.
One passenger on a train to Norwich, Diane Akers, posted a photo of the tortoise standing on the track just after noon, reporting to the train company: 'It's still alive but injured'.
The tortoise's shell had a large gash on top.
'I couldn't believe my eyes to be honest!' Ms Akers wrote.
It was confirmed that the tortoise was injured and had been taken to a specialist team of vets for treatment, a Greater Anglia customer adviser reported.
Escaped giant tortoise halts Cambridge to Norwich trains https://t.co/DEHif2xaOx
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) August 2, 2022
'We have been informed that he will make a full recovery,' they said.
One passenger, Lydia Jane White, tweeted: '"Train delayed because of a giant tortoise, too heavy to lift, stuck on the train tracks after having escaped from a local wildlife centre" is not something I thought I'd ever hear from a train driver!'.
The railway line reopened around 90 minutes later, while knock-on delays were predicted.
The delay came as UK passengers have experienced several days of train strikes this summer as railway employees' trade unions demand pay rises reflective of inflation.
This article is adapted from its original source.
