A wounded turtle was brought to safety in an unusual yet heart-warming rescue operation in Oldham.

The reptile, which was spotted with a fish hook lodged in its neck, is recovering from the traumatic episode at a rescue centre in Buxton.

The rescue came after the quick-thinking actions of Middleton resident Deborah Taylor, who used the power of social media to find a solution.

She stumbled upon the distressing images of the animal on Facebook and was shocked, having previously seen it roaming around the Daisy Nook Country Park quite contentedly.

The Oldham Times: Daisy pictured after she was rescued but before being taken to the vetsDaisy pictured after she was rescued but before being taken to the vets (Image: Helen McSweeney-Atkins)

Determined not to let its suffering continue, she reached out to animal welfare groups specialising in turtle rescues.

"It looked awful," she said. "I've got a rescue turtle, so I just didn't want to see it suffering like that."

Fortunately, the response was quick and teams were able to find the turtle, which was identified as a female yellow belly slider, which Deborah said was likely an abandoned pet.

She also said they often face difficult circumstances due to their invasive nature and the trouble it takes to rehome them. Deborah added: "They've been in Daisy Nook for a long time."

The Oldham Times: Daisy (centre) with her two new pals while another lurchesDaisy (centre) with her two new pals while another lurches (Image: Chris Hallam)

Following the rescue, the turtle was named Daisy and will recover at Chris Hallam's rescue centre in Buxton, where she will receive the attention she needs alongside 150 new roommates.

Speaking about Daisy's recovery, the 47-year-old said: "She's doing well, she's had the hook removed when she visited the vets on Thursday (April 18) - where she was sedated and she is now recovering from that.

"She's had painkillers and she's now not eating which is the only concerning thing, but other than that she seems quite well - as soon as she starts eating she'll be fine."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the RSPCA added: "Discarded fishing tackle can be a problem for all sorts of animals, particularly water fowl, and we do see a fair amount of incidents like this sadly."