Devastated staff at a Waltham Abbey farm are appealing for help after thieves stole two popular Tortoises.

Okey Doke, 7 and his friend Lucky, 40, were snatched from their pen in the children's farm in Holyfield, and staff are desperate to get them back.

Okey Doke, a Spur-thighed Tortoise was taken from its enclosure on Monday (July 6) and the following day, his pen mate Lucky, a 40 year old Hermann Tortoise was snatched.

Lucky had already survived a fox attack and was given to the farm by her owners, who regularly check on her progress- because they thought it would be safer for her.

Farm Manager Angela Tew-Cragg said staff were "devastated" at the loss.

She said: "We're all absolutely gutted that someone's done this, the staff who were here when they got taken are in pieces."

She said: "Lucky had already survived two fix attacks, she has been with us for a number of years and is irreplacable in our eyes."

"Okey Doke is the only boy and he's a real character, although he's smaller than the girls, he's quite frisky and is always bumping into them."

Both of the Tortoises are very friendly and hugely popular with the young children visiting the farm.

"Basically they all have little personality traits that make them so lovable, we miss them and we want them to return home."

Klare Kennett from RSPCA south East confirmed that Tortoises are ecoming rarer, and therefore more valuable to thieves.

She said: "It's now illegal to import Tortoises in crates, which is a cruel practice, so they're rarer now then they used to be and are worth more."

"There have been incidents of Tortoise theft in the South East, but they're exotic creatures, they have different needs, not all tortoises are the sort you can leave to wander round a garden, some need specific heat levels. So we would be concerned that they were given to someone who didn't know how they should be kept."

Lucky and Okey Doke are the first animals visitors meet on arriving at the farm and play a key part of the animal handling sessions.

Since the thefts the other Tortoises have been moved to a secure enclosure for their own safety, meaning young visitors to the farm can no longer meet them.

Essex Police are investigating the thefts and are asking anyone with any information to call them on 0300 333 4444, quoting crime ref number D121D/11336/09.