This Austin Junior 40 child's pedal car has been reunited with its collector owner by the Art Loss Register (ALR).
Researchers at the ALR spotted the toy, which was insured for £1,500 by Hiscox at Lloyd's, advertised in a sale catalogue for an auction in Melbourne, Australia.
The car was stolen from the owner's Surrey garage in June 1998. It was one of many manufactured from surplus steel at the Austin factory in Wales.
