A holidaymaker accidentally took a lizard on a 4,000-mile journey from sunny Barbados to Britain after it hid inside her bra.
The globe-trotting gecko, now named Barbie, had swapped the warm beaches of the Caribbean for rainy Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
When 47-year-old Lisa Russell returned home and unpacked her suitcase, she was shocked to discover Barbie stuffed inside her F-cup.
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The beautician said the reptile was lucky he found refuge in one of her clean bras – as it was so hot she didn’t bother to wear one.
She said: “I thought it was a tiny dead creature and then when it moved I started screaming - it is not what you expect to find in your bra after a 4,000-mile journey.
“The tiny lizard was lucky as the bra was on top of my suitcase on my clean pile - as it was so hot out there I didn’t bother wearing one.
"It must have been happy in its new pad.
“I am just so shocked not only did it survive the journey but also the fact it didn’t get squashed as my suitcase was so full when we were returning I had to sit on it to get it zipped up.
“It must have been in my suitcase for at least 24 hours as I packed it on Monday morning - local time - and started unpacking at lunchtime the following day.”
Lisa called the RSPCA to rescue the jet-lagged lizard, who usually live in warm areas in their natural habitat.
She added: “I wasn't sure what to do - but managed to put it safely in a box and then called the RSPCA for help.”
Sandra Dransfield, from the RSPCA, was sent to collect baby gecko and named her Barbie after the busty doll and the island from where she came.
Sandra aid: “Lisa was quite relaxed about the whole thing and thought it was funny that the gecko had safely made the trans-Atlantic crossing in her bra.
“Unlike a lot of women, the lizard must have found it comfy.
“She was laughing and said to me ‘imagine taking a nap and then waking up in Rotherham!’
“The gecko has travelled more than 4,000 miles and appears unscathed by her adventure and unlike most holidaymakers did not need to have Covid tests.
“She had some water droplets which I sprayed into her container and then she seemed fine.
“I am just glad Lisa called us as some people may think to release animals like this into the wild, which is illegal as they are a non-native species and also sad as they would not survive in our climate.”
The gecko was taken in by a specialist reptile keeper where she is doing well.
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