Small lizard rides from Barbados to UK in woman’s bra

A small lizard hitched a ride from Barbados to the UK inside a woman’s bra.

The tiny reptile swapped the warm beaches of the Caribbean for rainy Rotherham after travelling home with British holidaymaker Lisa Russell.

The globe-trotting gecko was busted when the 47-year-old beautician unpacked her suitcase to find it hiding away.

Russell 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."

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Russell added: "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.”

Russell 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.

She said: “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!’

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Barbie the lizard had some water droplets sprayed into her container and seemed fine afterwards, Dransfield said.

She added: “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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