Oxford college's 'most important resident' tortoise dies

Manny the tortoise died peacefully at the weekend, the college said

A tortoise which an Oxford college said was its "most important resident" has died.

Emmanuelle, who lived at Regent's Park College after she was bought from a pet shop at the city's Covered Market in 1976, died peacefully at the weekend.

Known as Manny, she starred on BBC TV's Nationwide and Blue Peter in the 1980s and was traditionally looked after by a first-year undergraduate.

She is featured in the college's chapel's new stained glass window.

Manny was immortalised in the college chapel's window which was completed in May

Thought to have been aged between 80 to 100, she still regularly competed in Oxford University colleges' Tortoise Fair race, finishing third in 2013.

"There was always a feeling that she belonged to everyone in the college, but she in turn also created a sense of belonging: gathering groups around her and creating friendships through cross sections of the college, both past and present," a statement said on the college's website.

The college said she was originally thought to be male and was named Immanuel, "until a later health condition revealed this was not the case and led to a change in her name".