Search parties have been organised but staff at the Long Sutton Butterfly and Wildlife Park are concerned the timid creature may become a victim of the area's roads.

The creature was spotted in the early hours of Wednesday morning hopping along Roman Bank in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire.

Anyone who sees the animal is asked to contact the authorities and not to attempt its capture.

Traffic danger

The 2ft 6ins tall wallaby was seen by two policeman but has not been spotted since.

Peter Worth, the director of the Long Sutton Butterfly and Wildlife Park, said he was anxious to get the animal back.

He said: "It's quite a timid little creature so if anybody was to approach it they would get to within three or four yards of it then it would hop off.

"My main worry is that obviously with a lot of traffic around is it might get run over.

"We are actively looking for it and have search parties out."