A circus lion, called Caesar, is fighting fit again after an ordeal that saw the van he ...................... in stolen in Germany by an unwitting thief.

The van containing Circus Probst's ferocious five-year-old feline star was recovered in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Wuppertal in western Germany, after ................ into a road sign, police said.

Hours earlier it ..................... from among the circus's other vehicles, with the thief - who remains on the loose - apparently unaware of the nature of his stolen cargo.

It was unknown whether the thief, becoming aware of Caeser's presence - perhaps through a hungry roar - ...............him or her to crash the vehicle and then abandon it with the engine still running.

Police then towed the van.........., also unaware of its feline freight and it wasn't until midday on Wednesday that Caeser was returned to his rightful owners, more than 12 hours after his adventure began.

"Caeser is fine. We're not worried ............ him," circus spokesman Laurens Thoen said.

"Since yesterday afternoon he.................. in his enclosure at the circus."