Terrapin spotted during Norwich river trip

Father and son photograph the creature basking on a log during a River Wensum trip in an inflatable kayak bought from a supermarket.

Terrapin seen near Wensum Park in Norwich. Picture: Tris Abbs

A Norwich river adventure proved memorable for a father and son when they spotted a terrapin basking in the sunshine.

Tris Abbs and his four-year-old son Arthur saw the unlikely animal on Sunday as they paddled past Wensum Park in an inflatable kayak bought that day from Lidl.

'It certainly took us by surprise. It was on a log in quite a secluded area,' said Mr Abbs, 30, from Dereham Road. 'Having been involved in various water sports on the Wensum since childhood I've never come across one. We guess it must have been an unwanted pet, disposed of in the river. It seemed to be thriving.'

Arthur Abbs during River Wensum kayak trip on which they saw a terrapin. Picture: Tris Abbs

The popularity of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon in the late 1980s and early 1990s prompted a huge craze in owning terrapins as pets, but many were illegally dumped in the wild.

Terrapins can live up to 40 years in the wild, where they prey on native UK species such as frogs, fish, and even ducklings.