A TINY baby wallaby is battling for life after being found in the pouch of its runaway mum which was killed by a car.

The escaped mum had been roaming around St Mary's in the Scillies for a month and was hit in an apparent road traffic collision on Monday evening.

She was taken to owner, animal lover Steve Griffin, where she died shortly after.

But when he was checking over the wallaby amazingly Mr Griffin who had thought the escapee was male found the wallaby's pouch had had a tiny baby inside Now Mr Griffin is battling to keep the male baby alive in an incubator.

He says the baby which is around 70 days old and is called a pinkie can't be fed with milk containing lactose so he is hand feeding the tiny animal with soya milk.

He said: "I thought the adult wallaby was a male so it was a surprise to find the pouch with the baby inside.

"I immediately started looking after the pinke and put him in the incubator.

"He is taking milk so he does have a chance - but it may be just 50/50.

"I've looked after puppies, kids and kittens before so I'm hoping he will survive."

Islanders had reported a number of sightings of the missing marsupial over the past four weeks, ranging from Deep Point to Rosehill and Porthmellon.

Apples were used as 'traps' to try and attract the animal and there was a £25 reward for its safe return.

Steve has another four wallabies in his private zoo on St Mary's.