Freddy the tortoise here is by far the oldest animal so far to receive the honour of being our Pet of the Day.

He was nominated by Angie from Welling, who gave us the story of her and Freddy’s many years together after she got him on her 10th birthday.

“My happy tortoise is probably around 100 years old. As he was small when bought he must have been 40-years-plus we thought. Freddy has never had a vet’s visit!

News Shopper:

“I bought him for 2/6. That’s 2 shillings and 6 pence, back in 1958 when I went to our local pets shop in Catford and chose the new garden family pet and placed him carefully in my small basket on the front of my kiddy bike, and rode him home. Luckily he arrived home safely.

“I didn’t consider 55 years ago he would still be with us in 2014!

“He has the whole garden to wander and funny as it sounds he loves company. When in the garden he stays with you around your feet constantly and follows you around. Raising his little head to look up but of course can’t see much further than one’s ankles, but he likes his head and under his chin stroked, funny old thing.

“Freddy eats numerous amounts of strawberries. Raspberries, crispy lettuce and dandelion leaves. Getting more than his five a day has certainly done him good.”

News Shopper:

Nominate your pet to be our Pet of the Day by filling in the form here