Money from the adoption will go towards refurbishing their home

The 60 Leek Squadron Air Training Cadets - whose emblem is the wallaby - took the unusual step at Dudley Zoological Gardens on Tuesday.

One animal died from shock after it was attacked in its enclosure in May. Another had to be put down in April.

Three boys have been convicted of causing unnecessary suffering.

Lt Mark White explained how the squadron has a special attachment to the marsupials.

The wallabies are defenceless and it's a nice thought knowing that we're there to protect them in a way Mathieu Jackson

"Many decades ago there used to be a zoo in Leek, and around the time of World War II a group of wallabies was released from the site on to nearby moorland.

"They were frequently seen about the area and the story is told in a local museum where one of the exhibits is a stuffed wallaby.

"Although there haven't been any sightings for 20 years the Air Training Cadets adopted the wallaby as their emblem."

Cadet Mathieu Jackson said they had decided to call the wallaby George.

'Fantastic news'

"The wallabies are defenceless and it's a nice thought knowing that we're there to protect them in a way."

Zookeeper Jamie Haywood said the adoption was fantastic news.

"Any money that we get from the adoption will go towards refurbishing the enclosure," he said.

The zoo's chief executive Peter Suddock said: "We are sorry it was under such sad circumstances that the cadets learned of our wallabies, but we are delighted that such a high-flying group are adopting at Dudley Zoological Gardens."

Ryan Jones and Kieron Anslow, both 11, and a 10-year-old who cannot be named, admitted taking part in two separate attacks at the zoo in April and May.