A WALLABY has been spotted in the Peak District a year after the last confirmed sighting.

It was believed that the animals, which escaped from a private menagerie in the 1930s, had died out.

But photos and a video recorded by walker Andy Burton, of Sheffield, have confirmed that at least one wallaby remains.

Mr Burton, 46, said: "We were taking a short cut across the moor when we saw the wallaby about 10 yards away. It just stood there looking at us."

Originally about five or six wallabies were released into the area after escaping from a zoo belonging to Courtney Brocklehurst, in the Roaches.

The animals thrived in the Peak District and bred to form a colony numbering at least 50 animals.

But a series of cold winters during the 1960s, coupled with road casualties, resulted in the number of wallabies falling and in recent years sightings have been few and far between.

Rhodri Thomas, the Peak District National Park's natural environment team manager, said there were no plans to re-populate the area with wallabies.

He said: "Our attention is focused on ensuring the native species are thriving.

"The wallabies don't cause any damage to the area and we have done what we can to ensure they are in good condition.

"But once they die out we don't have plans to introduce more to the area."

Bob Foster runs the website www.roaches.org.uk, which details wallaby sightings in The Roaches area of the Peak District.