Navy veteran's search for giant tortoise shipmate after 60 years

Simon Murdoch first bonded with the giant tortoise on board the HMS Owen in 1964

A Royal Navy veteran is hoping to track down an unusual former shipmate after 60 years - a giant tortoise called Theresa.

Simon Murdoch, now 88, was a young sailor in 1964 when his vessel, HMS Owen, visited the Seychelles.

The crew was presented with the 5ft (1.5m) tortoise as a gift from the governor, the Earl of Oxford and Asquith.

Simon, from Kinloss in Moray, was tasked with caring for the then-35-year-old reptile and hopes to be finally reunited with her.

Theresa the giant tortoise with her Royal Navy shipmates on her way to Plymouth Zoo in May 1964

Simon has told how every day he would feed Theresa, walk her on deck, and even polish her shell until it gleamed.

"When you're at sea, you form bonds with your shipmates, and Theresa was as much a shipmate as anyone," he said.

"I'd be up early to check on her, make sure she had fresh greens and water. She wasn't quick to trust, but over time she came to recognise me.

"If she wanted a walk, I'd lead her around the deck, and she'd follow at her own pace. People might laugh, but you could tell she had her own personality."

He added: "She was steady, calm, and I always felt she enjoyed the company. I looked after her, and she looked after me too."

Simon (middle, looking down) cared for Theresa while she was on board the Royal Navy vessel decades ago

Theresa was handed over to Plymouth Zoo after the crew returned to the UK and Simon was sure they would meet again.

"But life takes you in different directions," he said. "I've often wondered, is she still alive? Did she have a good life?

"If she's still here, she'd be well over 90. It would mean the world to know what happened to her."

Plymouth Zoo closed in 1978 so Theresa's next destination is unclear.

The only remaining zoo is the area is Dartmoor Zoo, which opened in 1968, but it did not have a record of housing the tortoise.

Giant tortoises can live for over 100 years.

Simon is being supported in his search by the Erskine Veterans Charity hub in Forres.

The centre provides support for veterans in Moray and the Highlands.

Wing Commander Ian Cumming, the charity's chief executive, said: "Simon's story is a reminder of the unique and sometimes extraordinary experiences our veterans have.

"These memories are part of their identity, and they deserve to be heard, respected and shared.

"We are proud to be part of Simon's journey in trying to solve this mystery, and we'd be delighted if the public could help him find out what became of Teresa."

Anyone with information about Teresa's fate is asked to contact Erskine at [e-mail].