THREE of the most endangered tortoises in the world have been seized at Manchester Airport.

The rare Testudo Kleinmanni tortoises were found in cargo containers unloaded off a flight from Libya.

They were discovered by UK Border Agency officers on Thursday and have been temporarily re-homed until a decision is made on whether to return them to the wild.

The importer had made no attempt to conceal the animals and it is thought they were unaware of their endangered status.

Colin Brown, UKBA assistant director, said: "These are some of the most endangered tortoises in the wild and are `red listed' under current legislation.

"I believe the owner was not aware of their status when the import was attempted.

"In the absence of the correct documentation the tortoises were seized immediately and will be temporarily re-homed until a decision about their final destination has been made.

"At Manchester Airport, as with other British ports, we do come across deliberate smuggling and concealment of endangered or banned animals and plants.

"Anyone tempted to trade in them should think again."

The colourful tortoises are native to Libya and Egypt.

Live animal imports whether by private individuals or the commercial pet trade are tightly regulated.

Smugglers who attempt to import protected species can be jailed for up to seven years and face an unlimited fine.

In 2007, the largest ever consignment of live coral was seized at Manchester Airport. The creatures were re-homed at London Zoo.

Since then various mammals and reptiles have been seized including albino pythons, turtles, terrapins, seahorses and bullfrog tadpoles and re-homed at Chester Zoo and Blackpool Zoo.