A TRIO of heavyweights have been given refuge at Washford's Tropiquaria Zoo after escaping their flooded Burrowbridge home via a boat and a wheelbarrow - and spending a brief spell in a pub.

Tortoises Algernon (pictured), Edward and Spot were rescued by Tropiquaria's Chris Moiser and Jane Bassett after their owner was forced to evacuate.

The pair even tracked down a local boatowner to help, but in the event a boat was found closer to their home and the tortoises were shipped out along flooded roads to North Curry.

Chris and Jane then faced their own problems when they went to collect them, coming up against closed roads and diversions before finally meeting the owner of two African spurred tortoises and a leopard tortoise.

Even they were in for a surprise when they saw their temporary housemates - although they had been warned a couple of them were quite "large".

"The problem facing the owner become much more apparent when we actually met them - the biggest, Algernon, weighs 70 pounds and is two feet long by about a foot across," said Chris.

"Edward his younger relative is a bit smaller.

"Our biggest tortoise before these two arrived was Jenny, at a relatively minor 20 pounds in weight."

In all, Chris and Jane drove around 100 miles along country roads trying to find a dry route to the tortoises.

"After almost two hours driving, as we tried to get to the rendezvous point by three different routes, we eventually met the owner by a 'road closed' sign at the end of a bridge.

"The tortoises had actually spent an hour in a pub being kept warm and were then brought along a river bank in a wheelbarrow, with the biggest wrapped in a sleeping bag," said Chris.

"Once we had them in the car it was relatively easy to get back to Tropiquaria and get them into the warm.

"What was amazing was the community spirit and endeavour that had gone into getting those animals to somewhere where we could pick them up."

He said he was more than happy to help and was expecting to have the tortoises at Tropiquaria for several months.

"These are both species that we have experience with and that we an empathy with.

"In view of the size of the larger two it would be difficult for the average pet keeper to cope in the best of circumstances."

The trio have already settled into their new home in Tropiquaria's main hall, and they and other animals will be on display at Tropiquaria daily from tomorrow (Saturday).

Photo: Chris Moiser