TURBO the tortoise might well be the great-great-grandchild of Oswald the tortoise of my 1950s childhood.
Our next door neighbour had a huge tortoise when my sister Tina and I were youngsters and it was over 80-years-old.
Oswald often went missing but would always reappear a few days later One day no-one could find him and two weeks passed by and there was still no sign of our shell-topped playmate.
A month went by and then a police car arrived with the wandering Oswald sat inside seemingly without a care in the world. I am sure I caught, just for a moment, a wry smile on his dark leathered face. Our hearts were mended.
He had been found at the top of Salisbury Road on the edge of the golden wheat field that used to be where The Hexagon is now.
But what a trek! Uphill all the way! What had he been up to? Oswald lived for another 22 years and never ever let us in on his many rambling adventures.
John Porter, Millway Road, Andover
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