CAMBRIDGE EVENING NEWS (UK) 21 July 06 Terrapin spotters can breathe a sigh of relief
Terry the Terrapin is back.
For the sixth year running the St Neots celebrity reptile has made an appearance on the banks of the River Great Ouse.
He is fast-becoming a star attraction for the town's wildlife enthusiasts, passers-by, and a legion of Terry-spotters, who are out in force each summer to point him out.
St Neots residents had been concerned for Terry's safety after he had not been spotted so far this summer.
But relieved locals can breathe a sigh of relief as, right on cue, Terry popped up this week.
Paul Goldstraw, who manages to spot him most years, said: "A log seems to have appeared from nowhere so we think he likes it and it has drawn him out of the water.
"He is ever so well-known now.
We think it is so unusual to see a terrapin living in the wild."
Living in a tiny lagoon separated from the river near the town centre, he has been spotted in the same area for the previous five years.
Although terrapins are widely spread on the continent, and some are kept as pets here, it is unusual to see one in the wild in England.
Terry eats insects, snails, tadpoles, small fish and even plants to keep himself going. But with neighbours like those in St Neots, he is in good hands.
News photographer Warren Gunn spotted Terry on his way to work and took these shots.
He said: "He hasn't been seen for a little while so we are just glad he is safe and well."
Terrapin spotters can breathe a sigh of relief