WESLEY the wallaby could end up with a room mate if its owner does not come forward.

The wallaby was found loose in Strensall last month and led to a huge police operation and the closure of part of York's outer ring road to capture it, before it was taken to Askham Bryan College.

The college, which named him after a member of staff, is host to a number of animals for its students and their courses, and was already in the process of building a wallaby enclosure when Wesley was found.

Sharon Sheppard, Head of Animal Management at the college, said: "Our plan was always to have wallabies at the college but Wesley has meant we are potentially bringing this forward.

"Also, we have moved up the completion of the wallaby enclosure in terms of priority and it’s not far off being finished. In the meantime Wesley is eating and sleeping well; he’s more active than he was, and having one to one care which he’s enjoying.”

Sharon said a number of people had come forward to claim Wesley as their own, and he had now completed his 21-day quarantine since his capture.

However, she said it was not yet clear whether any were actually his owner.

Sharon said: "We have had inquiries and are now following up one of these. We are liaising with the police as to how best to take this forward but at present we are still caring for him.

"Looking ahead, although we don’t know for sure whether or not Wesley is staying with us, we are in the process of sourcing another wallaby, just in case he does remain here."