Tiny terrapins flushed away terrorise fish

UNWANTED terrapins are being flushed down toilets and devastating pond life.

Experts say people lose interest in the pets – native to Florida – because they grow to the size of a dinner plate, live for up to 50 years and require lots of care.

Owners who want to avoid being caught releasing them in the wild often use their toilets.

But many of the reptiles survive the journey through sewerage systems, causing environmental havoc.

Alan Kwan, of Sea Life Manchester, said: “Global warming is leading to abandoned terrapins breeding and growing in population. This alien predatory reptile is having a damaging effect on pondlife and waterfowl with fish, frog, frogspawn and ducklings falling prey.”