THE SUN (London, UK) 25 February 08 Pet tortoise sets house on fire (Lynsey Haywood)

A couple returned home to find their house had been set on fire by their tortoise.

Emma Fox had brought 70-year-old Fred inside when the pet came out of hibernation early.

Emma, 30, and partner Paul Butler, 45, left Fred – a female – in a tank under a heat lamp to keep her warm enough to stay alive.

But Fred piled her dry straw under the lamp and it caught alight, spreading flames through the house.

Emma – who also has a dog and two baby tortoises – said: “We were out shopping when we got a call from the fire brigade saying that our tortoise had set the house on fire.

“Luckily our neighbour had heard the smoke alarm go off and called the fire brigade.

“There’s a lot of smoke damage. We need to replace all our furniture and front door, but all our animals survived. It could have been worse.”

Emma, of Bracknell, Berks, checked on Fred after reading in The Sun that tortoises had come out of hibernation early – tricked by the mild weather.

She found Fred awake, brought her inside and followed the advice of experts in Britain’s favourite paper.

Emma said: “If it hadn’t been for The Sun she would be dead.

“She means the world to me – even if she did almost burn the house down.”
Pet tortoise sets house on fire

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