A WAYWARD wallaby has been spotted crossing the road on the outskirts of a town centre.

The wallaby was seen on Monday night by a couple who had been out for a meal in Darlington.

They had been driving along Staindrop Road and were just turning to head towards High Coniscliffe at about 9.30pm, when they saw the animal jump across the road.

Ian Lamming, of Melsonby, said: "We saw something jump out on to the road and into the headlights.

"At first, we thought it might be a fox but it was definitely a wallaby. We were very surprised."

Although Durham Police said they had no reports of the animal in the area, police wildlife officer Eddie Bell said it could well have been a wallaby.

He said: "I can well believe that someone has seen a wallaby in a town.

"Four or five years ago, I saw a group of them feeding on the fells between Middleton-in-Teesdale and Brough, and there have been sightings more recently near Newcastle Airport."

Sgt Bell has two theories as to where the wallaby came from.

He said: "It could be that someone has lost it. You can buy a wallaby for between £250 and £300 and people often buy them, naively thinking they can easily keep them cooped up.

"It is not illegal and you don't need a licence to own one.

"If someone has lost one they would not be in any trouble for saying they wanted it back."

Sgt Bell's other theory is that it is a wild wallaby which may be living in the countryside on the outskirts of the town.

He said: "There were a group of wallabies released in the Peak District in 1934 and although they have died out in that area, there are some wild in other parts of the country.

"If no one comes forward to claim this animal, I would suggest it was wild, which means a lot of other people may be able to spot it."

The Darlington wallaby was spotted just weeks after reported sightings of a small kangaroo in the Barnard Castle area.