IT has always been famous for its rich variety of wildlife.

Each year thousands of visitors flock to the New Forest to study the huge number of animals, birds and insects that inhabit the area.

Now the Forest could turn out to be the home of a creature normally found on the other side of the world.

Holidaymaker Pat Highley was driving along Lyndhurst Road, Brockenhurst, when he claims he spotted an Australian wallaby near the Balmer Lawn Hotel.

Mr Highley, of Oldham, near Manchester, said: "We'd been out for a meal and were travelling back to Black Knowl caravan park when I'm sure I saw the animal.

"For a moment I thought it might be a hare but it was far too big and had a very long tail.

"I'm a teacher who has taken classes to many zoos over the years and have seen several wallabies. I'm sure it was one."

It is not the first time there has been a sighting of a wallaby in the Brockenhurst area.

About 15 years ago a woman reported seeing an animal that looked like a kangaroo but was too big to be a rabbit.

The latest sighting has fuelled rumours that one or more wallabies have escaped from captivity and survived.

Brockenhurst residents say a private collection of tropical animals used to be kept at Ladycross Lodge, little more than a mile from the village.

Wallabies, which eat plants and grasses, would be perfectly at home in the Forest.

But Lionel Collins, who has lived in the Balmer Lawn area for 30 years, is far from convinced.

He said: "I've never seen one and I'm pretty observant. Anyone who thinks they may have spotted a wallaby is probably confusing it with a roe deer or something like that."

A Forestry Commission spokesman said: "The New Forest is home to a wide variety of wildlife but we can't confirm any sightings of a wallaby.

"If people would like to report sightings they should contact us