Recycled tortoise dances with death

They say cats have nine lives, but fifty five year old Tom the tortoise has shown that he has at least two after surviving a trip in the recycling bin.

Tom, owned by Welsh TV star Ruth Jones, danced with death at Cardiff’s recycling plant, narrowly escaping being skewered and crushed after passing through rotating spikes that open recycling bags and the facility’s glass crusher.

Heading along a conveyor belt to be sorted with other rubbish he was spotted by a council worker who shouted ‘there’s a tortoise on the line!’

Naughty Tom disappeared five weeks ago from Ms. Jones’s family home, where council staff believe he climbed into a recycling bag.

TV writer, actor and comedienne Ruth Jones is best known for her role as Nessa in BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey. She will be starring in a BBC adaptation of Tess of the D’Urbervilles later this month.

Tom is now safely at home recovering with his owner.