A woman was left alarmed after she found a "feisty" pet sugar glider possum in her cardigan pocket.

The baffled woman had just walked into her flat stairwell on Leith Walk in Edinburgh on Monday when the creature ran up her back and went into her pocket.

She called inspectors from the Scottish SPCA, which is looking after the animal at its rehoming centre in Balerno.

The sugar glider is believed to be the first such creature has been rescued by the charity.

Animal rescue officer Steph Grant said: "The lady initially thought it was a chipmunk.

"She had just got inside her stairwell when the sugar glider ran up her back and went inside her cardigan pocket.

"It then stayed there until I arrived, which was around 40 minutes later.

"It's pretty feisty and the poor woman understandably got a bit of a fright. We think it may have been on the loose on Leith Walk when it followed her into her stair.

"This may be the first sugar glider we have rescued and it's certainly a new one for me.

"These animals are native to Australia but some people do keep them as pets in the UK and you don't need a licence to do so, although they do have specialist care requirements as with all exotic pets."

She said the possum was in good condition although it is "rather skittish and very shy".

Ms Grant added: "We are appealing to the owner to get in touch with us as we think someone may be missing their pet.

"If no one comes forward we will be looking for someone with the knowledge and experience to care for this sugar glider."

The Scottish SPCA can be contacted on 0300 099999.