Wallaby escapes from Hampshire care home

The escaped animal is one of three owned by the care home

A wallaby escaped from a care home in Hampshire, holding up traffic as it wandered on nearby roads.

The animal went walkabout from the White House care home in Curdridge, near Botley, early on Friday.

Staff first realised the animal was missing at about 0600 BST after police received reports that it was on the B3035 Botley Road and on Wangfield Lane.

It eventually returned of its own accord and is now back in the grounds.

'Feature of home'

The animal, which does not have a name, is one of three wallabies owned by the care home.

A spokeswoman said: "We have had them for a few years now. The owner loves animals and we've got goats, wallabies, birds, cats and dogs here.

"They are a bit of a feature of the home really."

The spokeswoman said the home was having work done in its grounds which had meant the boundaries were not as secure as normal, allowing the adventurous wallaby to find its way out.