DOWN-UNDER came to Devon last week when an unusual creature paid a visit to a Teignmouth family, writes Rosie Taylor.

A wallaby was spotted by David Evans, 60, and his family, jumping about in a field by their house.

Wallabies are native to Australia and New Zealand, so Mr Evans, who owns Higher Holcombe Farm Holiday Cottages, couldn't believe it when one turned up on his doorstep.

He said: 'It seemed very friendly and it wasn't scared to see us. I'd seen deer, badgers and foxes before but this was a bit different.'

Mr Evans took photos of the animal in the evening of Thursday, June 11.

The wallaby was then sighted twice during the weekend.

Mr Evans said: 'My daughter looked in a book and we think it looked much more like a wallaby than a kangaroo. I'd put money on it being a wallaby but I'm no expert.'

No zoos or breeding centres have reported any lost wallabies so Mr Evans assumes the wallaby is an escapee, or descendent of an escapee, from a group that were kept as pets in Holcombe in the 1970s.

He said: 'There used to be wallabies at Holcombe years ago and I've heard of people spotting them around from time to time.

'I had heard rumours they had been sighted, so I'm really glad I've seen it.'