ALTHOUGH it is more than a short hop away from its natural habitat in the Australian bush, a mischievous marsupial has caused a stir by making itself at home in a quiet corner of the North-East.

The wayward wallaby has set tongues wagging in Toft Hill and Etherley, County Durham, where it has been spotted several times in the past few weeks.

Nicknamed Wally or Skippy by local people, it has even been mistaken for a kangaroo, although at 2ft tall it's a lot smaller and lighter than its larger cousin.

It gave a police officer a nasty nip when she and colleagues thought they had it cornered in a field at the end of last month.

And it is being blamed for damaging a car in High Etherley, where most of the sightings have been concentrated.

School caretaker Sheila Harrison was being driven to work by her husband, Alan, when they had to brake to avoid it on the road at 6.25am yesterday. It hopped away to open fields, where police believe it has been hiding for some time.

Mrs Harrison said: "I had heard about it a few weeks ago but I thought it was a joke. I didn't believe it existed until I saw it with my own eyes sitting in the middle of the road.

"There are a lot of stories going around. Somebody saw it and thought it was a person in fancy dress because there was a do at the pub."

Wallabies live on grass and can exist happily in the wild in the British climate. There are colonies in Staffordshire and the Lake District.

Wildlife expert police sergeant Eddie Bell believes it is a tame animal which has made a bid for freedom to search for a mate.

He said: "There was a wallaby advertised for sale in the Peterlee area a few weeks ago and the time seems to fit.

"Someone may have bought it and it has hopped out over their fence to find a friend.

"It won't usually bite but it can give someone a nasty kick with its powerful legs.

"If anybody sees it they shouldn't try to catch it. They should phone the police and they can get me.

"This will probably be a Bennett's Wallaby, or redneck, which are about 2ft tall and a beige, reddish colour. They are herd animals."

Telephone Bishop Auckland police on (01388) 603566.