The owner of Knockolt animal sanctuary was shocked to discover two 30st pigs left outside.

Danny Day, 51, runs the Jodeen Animal Sanctuary by Knockolt station, caring for sheep, goats, horses and pigs.

But the past two weekends Mr Day has discovered two great porkers roaming outside the sanctuary after breaking free from their tethers.

Currently looking after 64 pigs, Mr Day puts the spate of abandoned swines down to the trend of having 'micro-pigs' as pets.

Mr Day, who works full time at the sanctuary, said: "I got a call from the police saying a pig had turned up at Brokehill golf course, but when I saw it wasn't ours.

"We managed to get it across the road without having to close it."

He said the pig, and the one left the week before, were New Zealand Kunekune.

The ex-boxer from Bromley said he thought the pig had been initially tied up as there was a hole in his fence.

He added: "It took six people to get it off the golf course. We used a bucket of food to coax it back. They're always hungry!"

He speculated as to why people were leaving the pigs outside, saying: "A few years ago there was a big thing about having a pig as a pet.

"People bought these pigs thinking they were miniature pigs until they started growing and they could see how big they were getting.

"You can't really keep a 30st pig in a garden. This is the fall out; I've rescued about 16 in the past few years."

Celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus have been snapped with the babes in the past, thought to have partially fuelled their popularity as pets.

Mr Day added: "Don't just tie it up and leave it. No one is going to have a go at you, its better if the animal is looked after properly."

He said that while it incurred more costs, it was better to have the creature suitably cared for.

The Met Police confirmed they have been called out near the sanctuary to reports of "a black pig running in the road."

For more information or to donate visit: jodeenanimalsanctuary.webs.com/