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Tortoise on railway tracks causes train delays

South Western Railway Tortoise on a trainSouth Western Railway
Services travelling between Ascot in Berkshire and Bagshot in Surrey were disrupted

A number of trains were delayed due to a tortoise on the tracks.

Services travelling between Ascot in Berkshire and Bagshot in Surrey were disrupted at about 18:00 BST on Friday.

Four trains were delayed after the tortoise was spotted by the driver before it was removed from the tracks.

“He has been retrieved and is now on his way home,” South Western Railway (SWR) said.

“Network Rail and SWR staff moved the tortoise to a position of safety on the platform, including a short ride on the train itself.

“Its owner collected it from the station later that evening, and, as far as we are aware, was unharmed.”

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Services returned to normal by about 19:00.

It is not known who the tortoise belongs to or how it got on to the tracks.

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