Patricia van Dijk found the babies three weeks ago when they fell out of their mother's pouch.

The mother had been running through the van Dijks'  backyard when it was scared away by the family's dogs.

``My husband grabbed the dogs and I grabbed the four little babies,'' Mrs van Dijk said.

``They were gorgeous.

``They only just had a bit of hair on them and I could fit three of them in the palm of my hand.

``My husband called a wildlife carer, who was from Forth I think, and he said get a shoe box and a hot water bottle and put them back in there, she [the mother] will come looking for them.''

By the morning, the mother had been back to rescue them, Mrs van Dijk said.

``The kids didn't want to part with them,'' Mrs van Dijk said.

``But my neighbour saw a mum the other day with some little babies, so we're hoping they were the same ones.''