text: A tortoise has been reunited with his owner after spending nearly a year on the run and even finding a new home - at the age of 109. Owner Wendy Stokes, 74, had given up hope of ever seeing Toby again after he escaped from her garden 11 months ago. But he has now returned home and after piecing together his escapades over the last year, it's become apparent he's had quite an adventure. Reunited: Wendy Stokes, 74, is delighted to have 109-year-old Toby back after his escape 11 months ago . He wandered through a gate in her garden and headed for the open road where he was picked up by a passing driver concerned for his safety and taken to a nearby animal rescue centre. Six months ago, he was re-homed with a couple living in Margate, Kent, 22 miles away from Wendy's farm in West Hougham. But the couple, who could just about make out the word 'Stokes' written in white paint on his shell, felt they needed to find out who Tony belonged to. With nothing else to go on, they decided to call every Stokes in Kent listed in the phonebook. Eventually came across a delighted Wendy, who immediately arranged to collect him. She's had Toby since the 1980s when he was given to her by her late great aunt. He was returned home last Sunday, a full 11 months after his amazing, if a little slow, adventure. Wendy has had Toby since the 1980s and wrote her surname, Stokes, on his back in white paint . Retired farm worker Wendy said: 'I had painted my name and number on the side of his shell but it had faded when he went missing so they couldn't read it. 'The people who found him could read Stokes but they couldn't make out the number. 'He had got out because I had left my gate open. It is normally closed because we have sheep in the paddock but they were in a different field. 'Toby just walked out and trotted towards the road where somebody picked him up and took him to a rescue centre. 'Everyone knows I have a tortoise and we always take him to the village fete so he is a bit of a local celebrity. 'I was devastated when he went missing and spent weeks looking for him in all the fields around the farm.' She added: 'I went all goosey when they told me they had Toby because I had really given up on him. 'It is brilliant having him back and I think everybody was keeping their eye out for him all this time.'
target: Toby escaped out the back gate from his Wendy Stokes' garden in Kent .
  He was picked up by a driver on a nearby road and taken to a rescue centre .
  Six months later he was re-homed with a couple in Margate - 22 miles away .
  Toby had 'Stokes' written on his shell so the couple tried calling every Stokes in Kent before reuniting him with Wendy 11 months after escape .