Staff at the Shelford waste site in Canterbury are used to dealing with strange requests.

But even they were nearly floored by one from Jane Deslandes.

Her 30-year-old tortoise Fred was thought to have ambled into some grass cuttings and been put out with the rubbish.

Desperate to get him back, Jane contacted her local council which put her in touch with waste contractors Viridor at Shelford.

So the hunt for Fred began.

After an hour site manager Vinod Mehroke had to tell Jane they had not found him.

“I cried my eyes out,” Jane said, “but the guys carried on looking for him. Shortly after I arrived home, they phoned to tell me they had found Fred safe and well.”

Vinod, along with site workers David Fisher and Alan Harkness, had hand picked their way through the waste for another hour and couldn’t believe it when Fred was found no worse for his adventure.

“He certainly is a lucky tortoise and we were delighted to reunite him,” said Vinod.

Jane, of Ramsgate Road, Margate, said: “I can’t thank the guys at Viridor enough for their efforts to find Fred.

“We thought all was lost and then couldn’t believe he had not only been found, but had actually survived!

“He’s a character and hopefully he will continue to show his survival instincts and see in more years with us yet.”