WATCH: Family’s surprise at finding feral pig during lockdown walk

Clare Pye with her children Charlie, 10, and Caitie, six. Pic: Clare Pye. (Image: Clare Pye)

Clare Pye and her children were enjoying their walk in Thorpe St Andrew, when they spotted the strange swine.

The small, hairy, dark-coloured pig appeared to be loose and not contained to a field.

Experts believe the pig might be an abandoned pet and are concerned for its welfare.

Mrs Pye, who lives off Yarmouth Road in Thorpe St Andrew, said her children Charlie, 10, and Caitie, six, had been surprised to see the little pig during Wednesday’s walk.

The peculiar pig which was spotted by Clare Pye and her family. Picture: Clare Pye (Image: Clare Pye)

She said: “We were out going for our walk and went right down Bungalow Lane, through the train gates. About 100 yards on the left was this little pig munching away.

“There was another family walking behind us and they said they had seen it there before and that it often appears, but we’ve been walking down there for the past couple of years and we had never seen it before.

“There’s a field there behind where it was, but it didn’t seem to be contained at all. It didn’t mind us being there and eventually snorted a couple of times and wandered off.”

Mrs Pye, who works as a personal assistant at Marine Power in Brundall, took photographs and video of the animal.

The peculiar pig which was spotted by Clare Pye and her family. Picture: Clare Pye (Image: Clare Pye)

She said: “It was fascinating to see it up that close. It’s not what you expect to see near a river when you’re walking in Thorpe St Andrew.”

But, while the peculiar pig was a surprising sight for the Pye family, experts are concerned about it.

The National Pig Association (NPA) said it looked as if the animal was a kunekune cross.

Kunekune pigs are a small breed of domestic pig, originally from New Zealand, which are sometimes kept as pets.

The peculiar pig which was spotted by Clare Pye and her family. Picture: Clare Pye (Image: Clare Pye)

The NPA said: “Once dumped, they can sadly suffer, as they don’t really know where to get food or can become a nuisance when they start to scavenge.”

They have notified Norfolk Trading Standards about it, who are looking into the issue.

And The British Pig Association urged people not to feed it.

They said: “It is very important that people don’t feed these feral pigs, as that could result in devastating exotic diseases getting into our pig industry.”