AN animal lover overwhelmed by abandoned and unwanted turtles has spoken of the crisis facing the fascinating creatures.

Turtle Rescue UK Durham founder Jacqui Bell, who cares for more than 80 turtles in her two-bedroomed terraced home, as well as for dozens more at the charity’s headquarters in Langley Moor, near Durham, said the situation is at breaking point.

Now, in a bid to highlight the plight of the animals and raise much-needed cash, she is reopening an extended exhibition celebrating the animals at the weekend.

Jacqui, 49, of Silksworth, Sunderland, said: “At the moment the plight of the turtles in the region has passed crisis point.

“Any that the RSPCA find get handed to us or are just getting destroyed, because nobody wants them. I am caring for over 80 of the animals at my home at the moment.

“Defra has left me in a bit of a pickle, because about 90 per cent of the turtles I have – mostly yellow bellied sliders – are governed by legislation which forbids the sale, passing on or breeding of all non-native species. Yet for some reason Defra says they can be passed on to rescue centres.”

She added: “The charity shop in High Street South, Langley Moor, is our main source of income and we are hanging on by our fingernails. If it closes all the animals we care for will have to be destroyed.

“Our long-term goal would be to get petting farms to take them on and we would build aquariums and have big ponds for them.”

Jacqui, who is disabled by the auto-immune disease pyoderma gangrenosum, said: “I champion turtles and try to get the word out about them all the time.

“Sometimes a kid goes into a pet shop for a goldfish and comes out with two turtles, having been told they don’t grow very big. And then one day they wake up they have a 2ft aquarium and a turtle that cannot move.

“I have gone into homes where two turtles can barely turn around in a circle.”

She added: “Turtles get a bad name. But they are fascinating creatures. They have all got their own personalities. I just find it such a shame that people don’t learn about the pet they’ve got.”

Among those Jacqui and a small band of volunteers care for are Chinese soft shell Nessie, pink-bellied sideneck Pinkie, Australian snake-neck Shnurtle and Chinese softshell Peewee.

Jacqui said: “Anyone considering buying a turtle should think of the reasons for doing so. In my view, taking on a turtle is a bigger commitment than having a child – because if you have a baby if you are lucky, they leave home at 16 or 18, but if you get a turtle you are going to have it for about 30 years.”

A semi-retired singer entertainer, Jacqui started off with two turtles of her own and then I rescued some.

“Everything seemed to go from there,” she said.

Jacqui was invited to be part of Turtle Rescue UK and set up the Durham branch about 15 years ago.

The newly-extended free exhibition will be opened at the charity shop by Councillor Mark Richardson at noon on Saturday. The event, attended by DJ John of Britain’s Got Talent, includes a garden party and cake stall.

The exhibition will run for six weeks.