A FOUR-LEGGED friend with a difference is stealing hearts wherever he goes.

Louie the pig has sparked a flood of social media posts from people who cannot believe their eyes when they see him strolling through the streets of Brighton and Hove.

The little black porker has been mistaken for a dog by some of those who have spotted him being walked by his owner.

Priya Deshingkar posted a snap of Louie in a Facebook group with the caption: “Thought it was a slightly odd looking dog on a leash but turns out it was a pig.

“Very tame looking.

“Too dark to take a clearer photo.”

However, Louie is better known than people might think – certainly than Ms Deshingkar.

The post attracted an outpouring from people who know the porker, who is something of a celebrity in the city.

His has his own Facebook page, Louie the Little Pig, and has amassed more than 4,000 “likes”.

Toby Walker wrote on the thread: “Louie is known for his trips round town.

“Cute little guy.”

Louie’s Facebook profile keeps his followers up to date with what he is getting up to.

He seems to be partial to strolls along the seafront and near Hove Lawns, and enjoys lounging around his home.

Louie has even been seen wearing clothes before.

Sarah Browne commented: “I bumped into him in Hove once.

“Just as Louie was going behind a low wall, I thought it was a tiny horse for a minute.

“He was super friendly and wearing a blue hoodie.”

Caroline Penn added: “The first time I encountered Louie, it was very foggy and all I could hear was an oink in the distance.

“I wasn’t expecting to see a pig being carried across Church Road.”

Shani Steer described Louie as “sweet” after she encountered him and got the chance to stroke him.

Louie was feeling down last weekend, though, as runners in the Brighton Marathon disturbed his Sunday.

A post on his Facebook page said: “It was the Brighton Marathon yesterday, it went past my road and close to my favourite tinkle tree.

“It was very loud and made me grumpy.”

Louie’s owner is not the only man in Brighton with a pet pig.

Albion star Jose Izquierdo’s micro pig Peter has thousands of followers on his own Instagram page.

The £13.5 million signing’s beloved animal lives at Izquierdo’s home in his native Colombia.

Albion’s rapid winger regards Peter as part of the family.

He told The Argus when he signed: “He’s the pet of the family. I have him in my house in Colombia. He’s famous. He has an Instagram account.”