Wallaby spotted on streets of Chopwell in Gateshead

Residents of a Gateshead village have been warned not to go looking for a wallaby on the loose.

A manhunt for the marsupial began after several people spotted one hopping around Chopwell on Wednesday 19 October.

A number of videos have appeared on social media showing the animal on residential streets, leaving many confused how it got there.

Cia Christie, 13, whipped out her phone to capture the wallaby hopping around a corner, after spotting it on her way to school about 8:30am.

"I could not believe my eyes," Cia said. "I have heard that something like this has happened before this was the first time I saw one in the street."

This is not the first time a wallaby has been on the run in the region.

Residents of Evenwood, County Durham jumped into action when one escaped into their village in November 2020.

A rescue team searching for the animal has warned the public not to get too close and risk scaring it off.

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