A video of what is believed to be a wallaby has gone viral over the weekend- and nope, it wasn't anywhere near Australia.
Rather a forty miles away from Leeds, right here in Yorkshire.
Spotted in Mosborough, on the outskirts of Sheffield, a post was shared on Facebook stating "Swear to god I've just seen a Kangaroo in Mosborough!! What is this anyone??" - and has since seen hundred of comments flooding across community pages.
The viral post has been shared over 1000 times, with many commenting that the animal looks far more like a wallaby.
Whilst these creatures do make headlines every few years when sighted, it turns out that they're not as rare as you'd think.
These hopping little macropods, a smaller relative of the kangaroo, used to be seen bouncing around the Peak District.
Although their native home is on the eastern coast of Australia and Tasmania, a small group of Bennett’s wallabies successfully bred and survived in Staffordshire.
Credit: Nicholson Museum
But how on earth did they end up here, half a planet away from their natural habitat?
In 1936 a local landowner, Henry Brocklehurst, introduced five wallabies as part of his private zoo collection.
The creatures were deliberately released during World War Two, along with three Himalayan yak.
Against the odds, the wallabies thrived.
At the peak of their existence here in the north west, there were around 50 in the colony, though one particularly bleak winter in 1963 is understood to have halved their population (one local recalled seeing ‘several bodies as the snowdrifts melted’).
In the Facebook group Roaches Appreciation Society, Clare said: “I saw one at the Roaches skyline in the early ‘90s. It sat watching us climbing with its head poking out of the bracken. Then it bounded off. Much to the bemusement of my King Charles spaniel.”
By the 2000s, most locals believed there were only two wallabies left – a mother and daughter, both white-faced.
The Roaches. Credit: Unsplash, Nirmal Rajendharkumar
Beside this recent claim, the last confirmed sighting was back in 2009, with undeniable footage showing one of the wallabies bounding through the heather near The Roaches.
Sadly, it’s thought that the snowy weather in the winter of 2010 may have finally pushed the colony into extinction.
There have been plenty more submissions of sightings – though none with photos or videos – in the years since,all listed here.
Another sighting was in 2017 near the Wild Boar Inn in Wincle, where one person shared a photo of a ‘creature’ that they were ‘fairly certain’ was a wallaby.
When the Financial Times mentioned that sighting to Dr Anthony Caravaggi, a lecturer in conservation biology at the University of South Wales, he replied: “I have no doubt in my mind that that one was a cat.”
Dr Caravaggi published a paper on red-necked wallabies in the UK, which recorded 95 verified sightings in the 10 years leading up to 2018. He’s pretty certain the Peak District wallaby colony is extinct.
A leading expert in the field, who sadly died in 2013, was Dr Derek Yalden.
He found droppings in 2009, but nothing since.
Extreme snow in 2010 may have ended the wallabies’ roam at The Roaches. Credit: Unsplash, ian kelsall
He wrote in a letter to Roaches.org.uk: “I think they ran out of decent food. However, accidental deaths, on the roads, falling over cliffs and (especially in 1962-63 and 1979) severe winters also took a toll.
“Why should a wallaby venture onto the roads, or jump over a cliff? Probably because a certain section of the public seemed to respond to a sighting with “let’s chase it”, or their dog did.
“They always were very timid, and I watched them panic both to thunder and to the terrifying sight of a sheep arriving.”
There is one place to get a guaranteed wallaby sighting, but don’t expect much in the way of hopping.
A Yorkshire-born and bred artist and his creative team have earned the huge honour of creating the official FIFA scarf collection for this year's World Cup.
Nothing short of massive for anyone from our part of the world.
The local legend in question is Tom Pitts, who was born in Sheffield and is now based just beyond Leeds, leading the campaign right from the helm.
Hand Drawn Pixels is a graphic design and digital studio based in Otley, and while you'll see plenty of folks wearing football shirts and even the odd scarf on the town's famous pub crawl, these lot are venturing on an entirely different kind of run this summer.
In fact, the work has very much already started, with Tom and co. collaborating directly with FIFA and US manufacturers, Global Scarves, to create the World Cup collection.
With this year's tournament obviously taking place across America, Mexico and Canada, they've joined up with a big LLC, but they describe themselves as "a true English custom scarf company with American parents."
In their words, "We knit scarves for clients all over the world", with a presence both near Leeds and over in Seattle, Washington.
The fixtures themselves kick off next month (England's first game coming against Croatia on 17 June), and so Hand Drawn Pixels have been hard at work meeting the briefs for each of the nations taking part.
Here's a quick breakdown of how the opportunity came about, their vision for the project, and how everything starts for them as a whole process.
You can see more of their work HERE, but as the brand name would suggest, it's pretty simple to begin with: nothing more than a pencil.
It's worth noting that the 2026 World Cup also featured the largest number of teams in the competition's history: 48 qualified national squads, to be exact. So, technically, they've had even more designing to do than they theoretically would have in any of the previous years, too.
Tom confessed that winning this bid is obviously a big deal on its own and that seeing his creations being worn in person by supporters at the stadiums will be a "surreal" experience.
Speaking exclusively with The Hoot, he said: "It’s been an amazing creative challenge for us to truly reflect the individuality and diversity of the nations competing in this prestigious tournament on such an iconic product as the football scarf."
He went on to add that "the whole project has been a huge learning experience, gaining deeper cultural insight into every nation involved."
We can't wait to cast eyes upon a sea of colour and finely crafted fabric in unique but somehow universally familiar patterns, all designed right here in 'God's Own Country'.
Award-winning Sardinian restaurant Domo announces Leeds opening date
Clementine Hall
Domo will officially open the doors to its Leeds venue this summer.
Get ready for Domo Leeds, a Sardinian independent born in Sheffield that is loved by many for its delicious food, inviting atmosphere and stellar service.
Run by Raffaele Busceddu and Sarah May Elliott, Domo serves a range of traditional Sardinian specialities from homemade pasta dishes to show-stopping grills.
They've also got a banging cocktail menu full of signature serves and refreshing spritz, perfect for enjoying with friends over some delicious sharing plates.
Images: The Sheff
Domo has confirmed it will officially open the doors to its first Leeds venue on Friday June 5, so we really don't have long to wait.
Located at the iconic Tower Works development, Domo Leeds will offer a vibrant new canal-side destination, perfect for the summer months.
Alongside the main restaurant menu, there’ll be a dedicated bar food menu designed around relaxed dining and carefully crafted small plates designed to pair with the drinks offering creating a more informal way for guests to experience Sardinian flavours.
Domo co-founder, Sarah Elliott-Busceddu, said: “We’re incredibly excited to finally open the doors and welcome people into Domo Leeds. From day one, our vision has been to create a space where everyone feels welcome and somewhere that brings people together in the true spirit of Sardinian hospitality.
“Whether it’s an evening out with friends, a relaxed catch-up over drinks after work, or a big family celebration, we’ve designed Domo to feel warm, inclusive and full of life. We can’t wait for people in Leeds to experience not just the food and drinks, but the atmosphere and sense of community that sits at the heart of everything we do.”
The Hoot -
23rd January 2023 
