Rosie has lived with my family for the past 50 years. The stray tortoise lived with my parents, David and Pat.

I have inherited Rosie. Rather than afternoon tea, I take my morning coffee round to where he lives. As soon as he sees me, he trundles over to check out what I have brought him, then ambles off to find a suitable sunbathing spot.

Friends are fascinated by our free-roaming tortoise and the tale of how he became part of our family. I always tell them that Rosie lives with us, not that he is ours. Rosie is now nearly 100 years old.