A SEARCH party has been scouring the streets for a tearaway tortoise who escaped from his home over the weekend.

Pickles went missing from his back garden enclosure on Coleridge Place, Great Harwood yesterday afternoon (Saturday 12) and has been missing ever since. 

Kayleigh Taberner, the tortoise's owner is now becoming increasingly concerned as to his whereabouts. 

She said: "He loves hiding under bushes and in corners and he can be very fast when he wants to be.

"People think tortoises are really slow but that's not the case with pickles. He hides in the house in slippers, bags, under the sofa's and behind the TV.

"My partner once took him to work with him because Pickles had climbed into his rucksack and he didn't realise he was there.

"He loves cuddling under blankets and pillows."

Kayleigh bought Pickles from a pet shop when she was in her first year of university and he has been by her side ever since. 

Seven years later and Pickles has moved with Kayleigh as she has finished university and moved house five times.

Kayleigh said: "Pickles loves being in the garden but due to him being so fast we knew we couldn't leave him out there unsupervised so we built him an outdoor enclosure.

"He has never been able to get out before but has always dug in the corners but yesterday he must have been more determined because he managed to dig under and escape.

"We have checked the garden top to bottom and even dug up bushes and flowers, but we think he's managed to escape under the gate 

"He could literally walk for miles so he could be anywhere in Lancashire right now."

Anybody with information on Pickle's whereabouts is asked to call Kayleigh on 07763438591.