A Banstead couple have been left distraught by the suspected theft of their prized pet tortoise.

Mina, a 15-year-old Mediterranean spurside, went missing on October 17 from a garden in Banstead Road.

Mina was one of a breeding pair and her owners, Steve and Maria Larken, are concerned that she may have been stolen.

Mr Larken says: "She’s worth upwards of £500, and she’ll be able to bear valuable fertile eggs for up to two more years without breeding.

"My wife has been very worried.

"The whole experience has driven us up the wall."

Her disappearance is of particular concern as it comes at the onset of winter, when tortoises hibernate.

Without adequate preparation and expert care, it is unlikely Mina will survive the winter.

Mr Larken added: "We just want to know she’s being looked after, but we know that no one can look after our tortoises as well as we can."

The disappearance has been reported to local police and vets.

There has been a sharp rise in tortoise thefts linked by experts to new tough environmental controls that restrict their sale.

Mina can be identified by her unique shell pattern, and her owners would be grateful if any information regarding her whereabouts could be passed on to veterinary practices in the Banstead area.

Anyone with information should call Steve Larken on 07766 110274