A TORTOISE has survived unharmed after a fire broke out in its pen at a house in Tadcaster.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said a faulty heat lamp caused the blaze in a pen in the lounge of a house in Station Road last night..

A spokesman said smoke detectors raised the alarm and two crews went to tackle the fire, which caused fire, heat and smoke damage to the pen and carpet and wooden pen, and also smoke logging to the first and second floors of the property.

"The tortoise was uninjured!" he added.