A koala has survived a 10 mile road trip in Australia clinging on to the bottom of a car.

The animal, who had recently given birth, crawled into the wheel arch while the vehicle was parked in the hills on the outskirts of Adelaide.

She was rescued after the driver heard her crying, but her baby was missing.

Images: Jane Brister

Jane Brister from Fauna Rescue said: "He heard crying or a noise under his car, and when he investigated found the koala up under the front wheel arch".

"It would have been a drive downhill through very winding roads".

Image: Jane Brister

"The koala was in reasonable condition when we extracted her from the car - unfortunately though I discovered later when we took her to the vet that she would have had a joey and the joey was missing.

"I was unable to find the joey."

Image: Jane Brister

"We're not sure whether she was already up inside the wheel arch before (the driver) left home or whether she was on the road and he had driven over her and she ended up under the car".

"She was released on a private property - the owners of the property have vowed to keep an eye on her.

"And she has an ear tag so we can always identify her if she comes into care again".

Additional reporting: Jack Quann