THE mystery of the missing Longlevens tortoise has been solved.
Seven-year-old Mabel, owned by Barnwood Park school girl Isobelle Phillips, escaped from her pen in Estcourt Road last week.
Isobelle, 14, was overjoyed to hear Mabel had turned up in a garden in nearby Lansdown Road.
Although she had travelled just short of a mile in almost a week, her snail-paced adventure has left her none the worse for wear.
Mum Tracy, has now booked the slippery reptile in to be micro-chipped so they can keep track of any future wanderings.
"We had such a great response to the posters we put up around the area when she went missing, it was really heartwarming," she said.
"City council workers were calling us up saying they were all keeping an eye out for her.
"It is a mystery how she got out in the first place. We are all just glad she is home safely.
"She is a bit tired and sleepy, but seems just the same and no worse off for her adventure.
"We were amazed she had got so far as there is a big playing field and a busy road between us and where she was found.
"Isobelle was so happy to have her back, she is part of the family and we missed her."
It wasn't the first time the trickster had sprung her enclosure, but the Phillips family feared they had seen the last of their beloved pet.
Mabel escaped into a neighbour's garden, they returned her, leaving her inside a recycling box on the doorstep with a note attached. The family came home to find an empty box. They are still no wiser as to how she broke free.
