Rebecca Manzi The incredible survival story of Matilda the tortoise, who escaped from her garden in Wymondham in Leicestershire (UK)
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When we think of spectacular escapes, Hollywood action movies usually spring to mind—high-speed chases, elaborate heists, daredevil stunts. But sometimes reality delivers a tale far more endearing than any blockbuster. Meet Matilda, a ten-year-old Hermann’s tortoise who decided that life in the Brooksbank family garden had become, frankly, a little too predictable.
What makes Matilda’s story remarkable isn’t just her wanderlust but the sheer audacity of her adventure. Despite moving at the glacial pace of 0.004 miles per hour (about 0.006 km/h), this determined explorer managed to cover nearly three miles (almost five kilometers) in just one month. For context, that’s like a human strolling from Manhattan to Brooklyn—except Matilda did it carrying her entire house on her back.
The great breakout
According to her owner, Sallyanne Brooksbank, Matilda displayed what can only be described as tactical genius. The crafty reptile apparently used the family’s zucchini plants as a makeshift ladder, scaling a border fence about 12 inches tall (30 cm). It’s the kind of breakout that would make Andy Dufresne proud—though with fewer tunnels and more vegetables involved.
From there, Matilda’s journey reads like a miniature epic. She crossed fields, negotiated ditches, somehow avoided traffic on a busy road, and even forded a stream. For a creature barely bigger than a teacup saucer, each of these obstacles must have looked like the Grand Canyon. That she tackled them all suggests either remarkable determination—or simply a very sharp eye for the next patch of greenery.
A month of searching
Meanwhile, the Brooksbank family spent weeks scouring their garden and the surrounding countryside, turning over every leaf and peering behind every shed. As the days slipped into weeks, their worry grew. After all, tortoises are not exactly designed for survival in the wild—they’re more “steady family pet” than “adventure-hardened nomad.”
After four weeks, just as hope was waning, luck finally intervened. Two passersby spotted Matilda wandering through a field. Realizing that a lone tortoise was unlikely to belong there, they scooped her up and brought her to a nearby clothing shop for safekeeping. An unusual choice, perhaps—but one that proved decisive.
Social media saves the day
The real breakthrough came when the shop owner snapped a photo and posted it on Facebook. In the age of digital everything, even tortoise rescues now rely on social media. Within hours, Sallyanne recognized her beloved pet and rushed to reclaim her. After a month on the run, Matilda was finally home again.
Remarkably, she bore no scratches on her shell, though she displayed what Sallyanne wryly described as “considerable hunger.” After one month of independence, it seems even the boldest spirits eventually long for regular meals and the comfort of familiar surroundings.
A minor miracle
For the Brooksbank family, Matilda’s safe return felt nothing short of miraculous. Considering the hazards she braved—cars, predators, streams that could have easily overwhelmed her—the odds were stacked against survival. Her escape and return stand as a testament to both tortoise resilience and a hefty dose of beginner’s luck.
One thing is certain: Matilda will be under much closer supervision from now on. The zucchini plants may even find themselves relocated to prevent a repeat performance. Because while lightning rarely strikes twice, no family wants to spend another month wondering if their wayward tortoise is exploring the countryside or starring in her own sequel.
Sometimes the best adventures are those that end safely at home—especially when they involve a determined tortoise with an unshakable belief that the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.
Source: BBC
