Residents at a Stowmarket care home got the chance to get up close and personal with a giant African tortoise.

Cedrus House, on Creeting Road East, invited the tortoise, named Dexter, to the home to interact with residents.

Dexter’s visit happened after Jean Brown, one of the care home’s residents, met the three-stone tortoise at the Stowmarket Carnival.

Jean was a judge at the pet show and was totally smitten by Dexter, which led the team at Cedrus House to approach the tortoise’s owners.

Michelle Webster, home manager, at Cedrus House, said: “We are always looking to plan interesting and exciting activities for residents, so it was great to have Dexter and his family visit us.

“It proved to be a real success, and you could see from residents’ reactions just how much they enjoyed interacting with Dexter – he’s certainly a guest we’ll be welcoming back.”