Police have captured a wallaby that escaped from a zoo and travelled almost six miles into a nearby town.

Cambridgeshire Police said the marsupial was spotted in St Ives by a runner who initially thought it was a kangaroo.

It tried to play fight with an officer, who was unharmed, then it was “caught after taking a break in a nearby garden” on Thursday evening, the force said.

The wallaby has been returned to Johnsons of Old Hurst, a farm and zoo park near Huntingdon, police said.

“A runner had his evening exercise take an unexpected twist last night when he spotted what he thought was a kangaroo on the loose in St Ives,” police said on Facebook.

“The curious critter was first seen in Ramsey Road just before 11pm, but was in fact a wallaby which had escaped from Johnsons of Old Hurst in Huntingdon at least 24 hours beforehand.

“The runner called us, and forever on hand to help the wildlife of Cambridgeshire, officers from our Rural Crime Action Team went to help the wallaby get home.

“His adventure was soon cut short but not before trying to play fight with one of the officers – he was unharmed.

“He was caught after taking a break in a nearby garden.

“And just like Cinderella, he managed to get home just before midnight.”