A Mystery animal - half fox cub, half wild boar - is at large in the Worcestershire countryside.

The creature calmly walked out in front of a car on Monday afternoon, startling its occupants, Jo Morris, from Suckley, near Worcester, and her mother, Rachel.

At about 4pm, they were halfway up Ankerdine Hill at Knightwick, when the animal appeared.

"It was a cross between a wild boar and a fox cub," said Jo, an equestrian trainer.

"I have lived in the countryside for 30 years and have never seen anything like it, wild or tame.

"It was the size of a half-grown fox cub with a long Roman nose almost like a wild boar's, smallish ears and its skin was brown and mottled.

"It had a hunched back and I likened it to a hyena as it had a smaller front than back. It had a long thin tail, which ruled it out as being a fox cub, which develops quite a brush early on."

Ms Morris said they had to stop quite suddenly as the mystery animal trotted across the road just a few yards in front of their vehicle and disappeared into the undergrowth.

She added that the animal did not seem perturbed by its meeting with them.

"It moved quite slowly and didn't seem in any distress."

After some research the mother and daughter dismissed the idea that the animal could have been a coypu, which is native to South America, although groups of them live in areas of Norfolk. They escaped from zoos and now breed successfully in the Fens.

After the sighting, Ms Morris consulted with local vets, who were equally mystified about the animal.

Anyone with any information about the mystery beast of Ankerdine Hill should call the Evening News on 01905 742249.