Two escaped wallabies on the loose in English county

July 5 (UPI) -- The owners of a wallaby seen hopping loose in an English village revealed there are actually two of the animals on the loose, and they were deliberately released by unknown culprits.

The Willis family in Low Westwood, County Durham, said the wallaby that has been spotted hopping around the nearby village of Hamsterly is one of two that remain on the loose after someone cut through their fence about three weeks ago.

Kirsty Willis said five wallabies were originally released by the vandal, but three were quickly recaptured. One has been spotted in the Hamsterly area, where it was caught on video by surprised driver Amy Hall, and the other has stayed close to the farm.

"He does keep coming back. He wants to be around the girls," Willis told Chronicle Live of the male wallaby.

Willis said she expects the wallabies to come home on their own eventually, provided members of the public don't leave food out for them.

"Try and lure them into an enclosed area like a garden with bread," she said. "If people do see them, don't feed them, then they will just be happy to stay out."