Vietnamese pot-bellied pig Esmeralda was in police custody today after being found abandoned in a shopping centre car park.

The miniature porker was discovered yesterday afternoon in a cage at Langney Shopping Centre, Eastbourne.

A member of the public took it to Grove Road police station, where it was put into kennels.

Despite naming their guest Esmeralda, police were not sure whether the pig was male or female.

It was being kept well fed with treats like apples. One special constable even cooked up extra portions of vegetables.

Officers were today trying to trace its owner.

Miniature pot-bellied pigs originated in the jungles of Vietnam and China and were introduced into the United States as pets in the mid-Eighties.

The first to arrive in the US sold for up to $25,000 after being marketed as the "perfect companion pet," with many living to the age of 20.

A police spokesman said: "It's not the kind of animal we are used to having in custody.

"It has given a lot of the staff here some amusement.

"But the serious side of it is that we are looking to trace the owners so we can reunite the pig with its home."

Police banned The Argus taking a photograph of the pig until an official vet had assessed whether it was at risk of carrying viruses such as foot-and-mouth.

The police spokesman added: "Until we have got the all-clear the pig cannot be transported anywhere."

Anyone laying claim to Esmerelda is asked to call Eastbourne police on 0845 6070 999.