Judy the tortoise is pining for her playmate Fred who has gone missing from the garden of his York home.

Patricia Otterburn returned home to Bishopthorpe Road to find the gate unbolted and only one of her two tortoises in the garden.

Fred, a 17-year-old South African tortoise, had gone - leaving Judy, the Otterburn's other tortoise, who is in her 60s, bereft.

Judy, a Greek tortoise, was left to Patricia's son Lee, now 29, in a great aunt's will 25 years ago.

"She belonged to Great Aunt Kelly for 39 years before that," said Patricia.

"My great uncle found her after she had been run over by a horse and cart. She was fully-grown then. Part of her leg was missing and her shell was badly broken.

"He stuck her shell back together with wall filler and amazingly she has survived ever since!"

Since Fred's disappearance, Judy has almost stopped eating.

"We were never quite sure what sex either of them were - apparently it's very hard to tell - but they were always happy together," said Patricia.

"If tortoises could huddle up, that is what they used to do when they went to sleep.

"Yesterday Judy just didn't want to know. She kept wandering round the garden looking for Fred."

Patricia is convinced Fred could not have escaped and is now keeping Judy in the house while she is out.

"I am frightened that if I let her out while nobody's here I will lose her too. I can't believe a person could be so cruel as to take someone else's pet.

"I don't care who has him or how they arrange to return him - I just want him back."

Fred disappeared on Friday and has not been seen since. If you have any information, phone York police on 01904 631321.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.