Vinnie Jones Recalls Accidentally Burying Friend's Tortoise in 1980s Wimbledon

Vinnie Jones, now 60, shared a humorous tale from the mid-1980s involving an accidental mishap where he buried a friend's tortoise, Lightning, while landscaping a patio for his teammate Wally Downes Sr. During the project, the previous owner had left the tortoise hibernating underground, leading to a frantic rescue operation by Vinnie and his teammates who used a sledgehammer to unearth the pet. Wally Downes Jr. recounted the chaos, with neighbors witnessing the frantic digging, and shouted commands to save the tortoise from suffocation. Luckily, Lightning survived the ordeal and is still alive today. Vinnie, who credits his girlfriend Emma Ford for his healthier lifestyle, joked about the incident, saying, 'Play on, son. The ref didn’t see it.' He maintains his health by watching his diet rather than relying on daily exercise.