Tortoise 'lucky' after recycling centre rescue

A tortoise has lived to see another day after it arrived in a waste lorry and went through an entire sorting process at a recycling centre.

Paul Frost, 41, who works at Mid-UK Recycling Centre in Grantham, said he is "surprised it's alive" after a colleague found it amongst the waste on a picking line.

The animal had arrived on a 22-tonne lorry full of rubbish, scooped up in a digger and was then put through a sorting process including a glass-smashing machine.

Mr Frost took the tortoise to Kirk Vets in Sleaford, where he was affectionally named Pee-wee by staff after the 1980s film character, Pee-Wee Herman.

Mr Frost said the tortoise initially had "blood all over it" and described finding Pee-wee as "quite scary".

"The stuff it's gone through to somebody finding it on the line, I'm surprised it's alive still," he said.

His wife, Louise Frost, 38, said her husband is already known at work as "Dr Dolittle" after he found three kittens and took them home last year.

Sara Marchant, 55, practice manager at Kirks Vets in Sleaford, said the Pee-wee is a "very, very lucky tortoise".

"I think he's literally gone through the wringer," she said.

The recycling centre takes in waste from across the UK and the tortoise has a microchip that is not registered to a location.

"We're at a bit of a blank as to where he has come from. He could have come from anywhere in the country," Mrs Marchant said.

Apart from some damage to his shell, Mrs Marchant said Pee-wee "appears to be fit, well and healthy".

"He must have 20 lives. He's been bounced around, shaken, mangled and he's still made it through in one piece.

"I think he's a lucky boy", she said.

Mr and Mrs Frost told the BBC they are going to wait to see if the owner comes forward and, if not, they will be welcoming Pee-wee the tortoise into their own family.

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