By: Aiden Ding

Most people can agree that traveling to unseen destinations is exciting, buta story for a tortoise named Solomon turned out much more differently.

Solomon was a pet tortoise who snuck out of his home and went on a week-long journey that he could have never predicted. He walked from his home to the railroad tracks. His journey to the railroad delayed four trains because he was spotted trotting on the railroad tracks at 6:00 on Friday evening. Railroads between Ascot, Berkshire and Bagshot, Surrey were disrupted by Solomon’s trek.

He was able to escape because four railroad engineers moved him off the track and gave him a train ride back. “He has been retrieved and is now on his way home,” South Western Railway (otherwise known as SWR) confirmed.

As far as they were aware, no damage was done to the tortoise. The commotion was all over by 7 pm that day. Even though Solomon’s health was in mint condition after her journey, people have been extra protective of their pets so as not to lose them like Solomon.

“While we are delighted that this story has a happy ending and can reassure passengers that our ‘everyone home safe, every day’ ambitions extend to pets, we must remind everyone that the railroad is dangerous,” said one of Network Rail’s spokespeople.

They also asked everyone to keep their fencing secure so that no animals were to escape from their homes and on to the railroad.

Image Credit by Irina Iriser